Vale and Vigilance
by YoshiBee
Summary: When a pair of drop-outs take the law into their own hands, they catch the attention of many and are thrown somewhere neither of them planned on being, as well as being a part of something they never thought possible. (NOTE: This is an edited adaptation of the canon RWBY story, with several changes and additions. All non-OC characters are property of RoosterTeeth Productions.)
1. Chapter 1: A Chance Meeting

The city of Vale was drowned in a cold breeze as the clouds rolled overhead. The streets glistened with the dim blue mixture of rainwater and streetlights, their luminescence together casting an eerie glow on the roads. The normally crowded footpaths gave way to the distinct individuals making their way towards the nearest dust store, the news telling the tales of their recent robberies to the public caused them to go unnoticed to many, as those who would normally enjoy the night life now avoid the chance to run into the recent arrivals to the streets. And Due to the police departments' lack of numbers, the criminals were free to roam almost unopposed in the night, led by their particularly fashionable leader.

"Alright you idiots, get in there and do what we're paying you for."

Roman Torchwick. Criminal mastermind, sly, ruthless and all round bad guy. Not exactly the kind of man you'd want to meet in a dark alley, recently infamous for his work leading the attacks on the dust stores in the past weeks, and as quick minded as he is quick witted. His white coat and blazing orange hair doing nothing to help his already conspicuous figure, although the thief always preferred fashion over subtlety. Torchwick gave a push to one of the goons lagging behind the main group entering the store before eyeing the path he took, swearing to himself that he heard something hit the ground nearby. Shrugging the paranoia off, he regained his posh composure and followed the rest of the criminals inside. Unbeknownst to the classy thief, a mere building corner away a hidden pair of grey eyes watched his every move.

As the figure casually strolled towards the store, his silver pauldrons shining in the moonlight, he quietly spoke seemingly to himself, "You know, he really needs to stop hiring those morons…"

Suddenly, the hooded man cringed as a blast of static exploded in his ear.

"For the love of…Scylla, I can hear you fine! You don't have to yell."

"Sorry, you know I'm still getting used to this!" A girls voice replied in a much softer tone than the previously ear blasting noise.

The figure continued before making his way towards the criminals, the light patter of footsteps echoing in the dark and the puddles rippling with each movement. The man stopped just outside the main door, looking upon two of the suited lackeys guarding the entrance to the building. The light finally shone on his shadowed body revealing a forest green robe reaching to the waist, with spotless platinum armour covering his shoulders and arms. The robe parted at his sides, with only two long strips reaching his lower legs at the back, and the gleaming armour containing spiralling glyphs filling the blank spaces. The two henchmen watched in confusion and the figure wandered towards them, arms behind his back in a nonchalant manner.

"Get lost buddy, private business transaction." One of the guards finally said in a gruff, aggravated tone. The other guard beside him brought out a blood red cleaver in a vain attempt to increase their threat level. The hooded man opposite them slowly began to walk forward, holding a finger to his ear as he went.

"So, what're you betting on?" He asked to the girl on the other end of the device, to which he smiled at her reply.

"Six seconds, and one hit." She cheerfully said after a second of thought. As they talked the two guards slowly approached the man.

"I'll do it in three, no hits easy. You doubt me too much."

He pulled a small metallic cylinder the size of his forearm from the inside of his robe, which swiftly extended into a long staff, a sharp, serrated blade protruding from the bottom end, and a barrel with a trigger at the other. A small compartment unlocked at the flip of a switch, and while the two guards prepared themselves, the man placed a string of small cartridges inside the opening, and held up a finger to the two henchmen who stopped in their tracks, increasingly aggravated at the display of stalling performed in front of them.

"Hang on guys, don't want to get any cuts now do we?" He said slyly as the blade extending from the staff retreated back inside its compartment. The two criminals growled as they stepped forward, and the girl on the communicator began a countdown.

"Three…." The three men raised their weapons.

"Two…" The hooded figure stepped forward, leaving only the quiet of footsteps and light rainfall in the streets.

"One…." One of the guards began to charge, cleaver raised above his head. The staff wielder quickly changed his stance so he was low to the ground, legs spread wide apart. As the makeshift bouncer began to strike down his weapon, the defender spun his staff in a wide circle, clipping the guards' feet and planting him on the ground. With a smooth motion, the staff wielder grabbed his attacker by the hair, and with weapon in his off hand, knocked him out cold.

"Why you sneaky little~!" The second attacker exclaimed, alarmed at how easily his partner was taken out. Looking down and reaching into his pocket, he pulled a pistol from inside and aimed at seemingly nothing. The henchman then jumped as the other figure popped up from behind him, leaning forward.

"Here's a tip, get your gun _before_ the fight starts." And with that the hooded figure poked the man in the side with the staff, and pulled the trigger. The man jolted and pulsed with electricity before collapsing on the wet pavement, a small trickle of smoke rising from his unconscious form to which the victor batted away while reaching for his ear.

"How was that?"

"Eight seconds, should've kept your mouth shut." The woman on the other end replied, a triumphant tone in her voice.

"Hey I just warned him so I could have some challenge next time! Besides, no hits, I should at least get some points fo-oomf….!"

The victors' chat was cut short when a body flung itself directly into him, muffled music ringing in his ears as he struggled regain his composure. His vision blurred as he saw a small girl, clad in red and black. The robed man left his mouth agape at the sight of the weapon she carried with her, spinning it with ease and planting it into the road.

"Hey I love that song…." He grunted as he picked himself up off the wet ground, almost falling over wincing as the more static buzzed in his ear once again.

"What was that?" The female voice cried, desperately trying to hear something from her partner.

"Damnit don't call me while I'm -Ugh!" He grunted again as a pole jabbed him in the back and pinned him down, turning his head he turned to see literal white collar criminal looking down at him.

"YOU again? Didn't you learn your lesson last time?" Torchwick blurted out in a slightly shocked tone, surprised to see the figure that had been attempting to hunt him down back in action so soon. Looking up from his pinned foe, he looked up at the girl who had just made a mess of several of his henchmen. Furrowing his brow, he took the cigar he had been smoking out of his mouth and looked towards the remaining forces at his disposal.

"Well? Get her!"

His men began to charge at the girl in red, who one by one, were thrown to the ground due to her far superior speed and skill. Even the staff wielder stood, or rather, lay in awe at her effortless spinning and fighting style that left the remainder of the criminals on the cold pavement in seconds. The flame haired leader sighed and began to flip his cane, and smacked the robed man in the face, causing him to groan in pain, Torchwick then shifted his focus to the scythe wielding student.

"Well Red, I think we can all say it's been an eventful evening." He said dryly as he dropped the still lit cigar from his hand and flattened it with his cane. Which was pointed at the girl, revealing a barrel and crosshair.

"…And as much as I'd like to stick around, I'm afraid this is where we part ways." He fired an explosive shot of blinding orange flame, where the robed man on the ground lifted his head to see the girl in the red hood struck, or so he thought. Noticing Torchwick making a climb for a nearby rooftop, he swiftly clambered up and charged after him, with the girl in red in pursuit behind them both. As the criminal made his way towards the edge of the rooftop, holding the black bowler hat safely atop his head, the red fighter made it to his position in what felt like the blink of an eye, the green hunter still hastily making his way up the ladder with his mouth agape.

"Man…I gotta learn to do that." He said between breaths, his robe fluttering as the winds began to pick up around him.

"Do what? Tell me what's happening!" The voice on the other end of his device spoke, to which the man responded by clicking the mute button. Making his way up the final steps to the roof, he panted before regaining his composure, steadying himself as the winds increased.

"Ugh, always so bossy."

He looked on as the criminal he was hunting made his way inside an airship, the blaring noise of the engines ringing in his ears.

 _How the hell did I not hear that before?_

Shaking off his train of thought, the robed man ran towards his red saviour as Torchwick fired another shot. The direct hit creating a gust of dust around the building, he stood mouth agape as it was blocked by another woman. A true huntress. Using what seemed to be a riding crop, she created a shield of purple magic to protect from the blast. A small, stylish cape moved slightly in the aftermath, and her proper stance seemingly unmoved by the attack. The two women began to attack the aircraft as it left, failing to shoot it down. Shaking his head, the hooded figure ran towards the fighters before the airship finally propelled itself away, his target safe.

"Damn it, you can't just let him get away!" He exclaimed to the two women before him. The small girl in red looked at him with curious silver eyes as he paced back and forth, eyes planted on the airship slowly fading into the dark. The other, much older woman turned to him, wide eyed as she pointed her weapon at the man.

"You're…." She began, at a loss for words once again leaving an awkward silence in the air. The huntress slowly began to change her expression from shock to anger, leaving the other figure in front of her to take a step back.

"Oh crap…Uh…Look, no hard feelings! I'll get him next time! Heheh…." The man stammered, his eyes shifting back and forth between the two. Before the woman could say anything else, he ran. Collapsing his weapon as he bolted across the rooftop. Eyeing a lower building he projected his aura, allowing him to safely land onto the lower rooftops with a lime green glow surrounding him, a dim beacon in the night. As he blended into the shadows of the alleyways once more the blonde huntress sighed before turning to the girl in red, who was gazing up at her with wide eyes.

"You're a huntress….Can I have your autograph!?"

Torchwick sighed deeply as he lay back in the pilots' seat of the airship, holding the bridge of his nose with two fingers.

"That fool still giving you trouble?" Cooed a voice from the woman standing beside him, her sultry movements made the criminal ever so slightly uncomfortable when he saw the person said movements belonged to. He turned his head slowly towards the amber eyed maiden, a small smile creeping on his lips as he replied.

"He's more of a nuisance than anything, he hasn't even come close to stopping us. He'll give up sooner or later."

Torchwick had a short but impactful history with the man in question, making several attempts to stop his dust-stealing escapades, the green robed man only ever managed to dispose of the henchmen he would bring with him, and never Torchwick himself. The two would always meet in a standoff that resulted in the so called 'hero' almost always defeated in seconds, Torchwicks' skill in fighting surpassing his opponent by far.

"Well don't get cocky my pawn, you never know when he might get the upper hand." The woman's ash coloured hair touched his shoulders as she brushed a hand against his cheek, causing the criminal to shudder in his seat before taking a reclining in the chair next to him. The airship became a small speck in the night sky as it gained altitude, as it did so the woman crossed her legs and folded her arms, attitude changing completely as she continued.

"What happened to the haul?" She said flatly, eyes directly forward. Her newly sharp tone of voice made Torchwick slightly more wary.

"Some kid got the jump on us, damn scythe user. You know those damn buffoons you hired are useless, I don't know why we still work with them."

"Well don't screw it up next time, I'll be sure to get some more _capable_ buffoons to follow you." The woman replied, a sly grin creeping up on the corners of her mouth.

"Good. Next time that damn vigilante gets in my way he's dead."


	2. Chapter 2: Watchful Eyes

The girl in red sat dumbfounded at the events that had just unfolded in front of her, first stopping a robbery, and now being accepted into the prestigious Beacon Academy two years early. Ruby Rose was finally going to learn how to become a true huntress, her interview with the calm and collected headmaster led to the huge jump that would change her entire life. She was soon met by a man in a grey suit, who beckoned her to enter the car for her trip back home, as she excitedly jogged her way to the limousine she began squealing softly to herself.

"Ohmygosh I'm going to finally be a huntress this is the most amazing thing I've ever….." Her voice trailed off as her makeshift chauffer closed the door to the car behind her once she entered. As the vehicle drove off into the night, the two people who had spoken two her before were left to themselves.

"You really think it's a good idea to let someone as young as her into the school?" the huntress asked, waving a strand of golden hair from between her eyes as she spoke. The man beside her calmly took another swig of coffee before replying.

"I believe she has potential, and I've never gained anything without taking a few risks." He said flatly before taking another swig of coffee. The two slowly began walking towards their own way home, the clouds slowly clearing up making way for calming moonlight setting in the streets. A streetlamp began to flicker softly as the bespectacled couple strolled down the path, the woman slowly took out her scroll device and after a few taps on the screen, drew in a sharp breath.

"We saw _him_ today you know, Ozpin. not nearly as heroic as the stories make us believe." She stated, still flicking her finger across the screen of her translucent pad.

"The media has a habit of making things seem more than they are, still capable though I assume?" Ozpin replied, smirking at her remark.

"You're not thinking of drafting another child into Beacon, are you?"

"A child?"

"He was also….Younger, than the stories made us believe."

The headmaster remained unphased by her question, seeing through his vacant expressions every time left him unsurprised when she guessed what he was thinking. Ozpin decided to simply nod to the teacher beside him as they entered a nearby car. The doors snapped shut once inside and hastily drove through the city. Goodwitch kept her formal posture as the Professor slouched, resting his chin on his hands.

"You cannot just keep bringing in students from everywhere, certainly not that undisciplined boy." She stated, shifting her glasses up with a finger in an attempt to symbolize her authority. Ozpin simply shook his head slightly, sitting up so he was once again at eye level with the woman.

"Glynda, hunters and huntresses are what keep our lands safe, the very core of our security and protection. We know this better than anyone."

"But-"Glynda began to speak against the grey haired Professor, but was stopped in her tracks when he slowly raised his palm so silence her.

" _But_ _ **…**_ I will not make a decision until I meet him for myself. Have we made any progress on finding him?"

The blond huntress began telling him of the events that unfolded tonight, and how she was out tonight with meet with the scouts who were close to uncovering the location of the vigilante. She explained how it would still take time to find exactly where he is hiding, and as the conversation died down, a still silence overtook the air as they entered an airship stationed on a landing platform. The pair looked out of a side window of the ship to the quiet city below, the buildings and streetlights filling the area like tiny beacons. Glynda turned back to her scroll, which was now displaying a news article from a previous day, as well as a vague, blurry photograph of a certain green robed man.

 _ **CITY VIGILANTE SPOTTED, FRIEND OR FOE?**_

* * *

"-This is the best day ever!" Ruby found herself crushed in the embrace of her sister, who was squeezing her tiny figure out of sheer excitement.

"Pleash shtop…." Ruby cried under muffled breaths, her face planted against the shoulder of her blond sibling. Shortly after the scarfed girl relieved her sister from her grasp, instead choosing the dance on the spot.

The Beacon airship was enormous, housing dozens of new soon to be students with still room to run laps around the floor. Large golden supports lined sky blue walls, slanted to give the windows placed along it a perfect view of the cityscape below. The royal blue flooring giving a professional and clean look to the interior of the aircraft, and the distinct green lighting lining each support giving off a light glow that illuminated the floor and walls.

The pair ceased their bickering as they saw a group of passengers flocking towards the holographic screen nearby, noticing the volume increase on the system, they both made their way through the small crowd to see the commotion.

"…The robbery was led by nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick who continues to evade authorities." The narration on the screen spoke, and the image changed to that of a mugshot of a beaten Torchwick, his hair ruffled and missing the signature hat. The man on screen continued as the screen changed again.

"Eyewitness accounts of last night's robbery attempt revealed a green figure fighting back against Torchwick and his followers, Lisa Lavender is here with more, Lisa?"

The new image showed a white haired reporter, her figure sitting alongside a blurred image.

"That's right Cyril, the owner of the attacked dust store reported the criminals in question only wished to steal dust, and no form of currency was taken. The man requested his name not be revealed to the public, but he did state that he caught a glimpse of the vigilante who has been stalking criminals over the past few weeks." The image changed again to a drawn representation of a robed figure, silver pauldrons covering him.

The older sibling was too busy purring over the still image on the screen to notice Ruby tugging at her jacket sleeve.

"Yaaang…I think I met him!" Ruby exclaimed, to which several heads turned at the outburst and began talking amongst themselves. She covered her mouth once another student put a finger to his lips, each member of the crowd turned back to the bright hologram.

"…..Said to use a staff and electric charges, an arrested associate of Torchwick revealed no solid information on this vigilante, other than he was a male in his late teens, with grey eyes, light facial hair and a slim build. Authorities ask that anyone matching this description is reported to police immediately." The screen then changed to a report of Faunus protests, to which several of the passengers on the aircraft lost interest and the crowd began to disperse.

Ruby noticed a few students turning their heads to her after the report, then quickly whipping back to the groups they were in once she took notice. Yang however, was staring wide eyed at her little sister, whom she quickly grabbed and began shaking vigorously.

"You met the vigilante?! What was he like!? Was he handsome?! Tell meeee!" She cried out, gaining the attention of several onlookers aboard the ship in the process. Ruby's attempt at a response resulted in nothing but mumbled stammering due to the ferocity of Yang's interrogation. The two were quickly brought to a halt however, as a hologram of the bespectacled woman from a few nights before appeared in the place of the news screen. The crowd's attention once again brought to the screen as she introduced herself. The ship slowly drifted towards the academy as the sun shone high above the clouds, as if symbolizing a bright new future awaiting all of those on board.

As the colossal airship parked with ease alongside the platform, the entire city could be seen clearly below as well as the many surrounding villages scattered across the luscious green landscape. The creatures of Grimm that tainted the less populated areas seemed non-existent, the peacefulness of the urban areas making it feel like the era of peace achieved many years ago wiped every trace of the monsters from the planet, despite the many hunters and huntresses fighting every day to keep the lands of Remnant safe.

The passengers on the aircraft made their way out of the docking area, several 'oohs' and 'ahhs' could be heard from the new students, including the two sisters who were admiring the sheer size of the academy. Its pointed towers more reminiscent of a medieval castle than an actual school, the structure reaching several stories with green and red trees covering the gardens around the courtyards.

And from the highest central tower, the headmaster of the prestigious academy watched as the newest arrivals made their way to their new home, and their next step in becoming the protectors of the world and its inhabitants from the darkness ever so present.

* * *

"It's been a week since you last saw Torchwick and you get closer to being seen every day, you know you really should start wearing a mask or something."

"What? Afraid some other girl will fall for my looks when I save her life?"

"Yes, because I'm _SO_ jealous of the countless groupies you have waiting to get your autograph…"

"Hey, I've heard the vigilante has been getting quite a following lately!"

"Oh they are going to be very disappointed."

The two characters bickered between each other in the dark room, computer monitors covering the walls giving a dull glow around them, just a trickle of sunlight making its way through the slits between the walls and curtains. The male in the room sighed as he resumed tweaking screw on his weapon in a simple shirt and pants, his signature robe pitched up on a coat hanger in the far corner of the room. Scylla placed down a scroll on her desk, shutting down with a soft beep and turned to the man.

"You'll see, if they ever find out who I am, they'll have bestselling books in their stores. I can see the title now, 'Cyprus Haze, Hero to the Public'!" he cried, triumphantly raising a clenched fist above his head. Taking extra care to be in the spotlight of the computer screens, his messy Genoa coloured hair standing out in the white light.

"You need a haircut." The girl said flatly, lifting a finger to point at Cyprus' scruffy hairdo. Shortened at the sides and back with the front left messy and rough-looking. The man pouted and furrowed his brow before sitting back down.

"Yeah and you need to wax…" He spouted under his breath, upset at his friends' lacklustre reaction.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

The pair sat in silence for a few more minutes, with the woman finally returning to her series of screens. The small apartment somehow managed to be kept clean, half the room filled with neatly stacked boxes filled with wiring and electrical equipment, the other end with barely enough space for a couch and the desk brimming with computers and other monitoring devices. Cyprus slowly collapsed his staff and placed it within the pocket of the hung up robe, before turning to speak to his roommate.

"Hey Scylla? How do you even work with all those other screens going at once?" He asked, lifting his feet up onto the couch and yawning into his hand.

"I'm good at what I do, you don't have to worry about how I do it." Scylla replied, irritated with the doubt given by her partner. This was the third time this week he had asked the same series of questions, yet he still doubted her abilities. The cameras around the city were her eyes, the communication link with himself her ears, and any other network she could hack herself into was her constant flow of news and information in Cyprus's desperate attempt at making the streets safer.

Satisfied with that answer, the young man began fiddling with his scroll, swiping up to get a look at the constant flurry of news articles and theories that showed when he searched for the 'Vale Vigilante'. He was about to make another snarky remark about his sudden popularity when Scylla called out to him, twitching her fingers over her shoulder to beckon him closer.

"Hey, I've got something." She called out, and began pointing towards a monitor on the middle row. A camera with a view of one of the less pleasant alleyways was shown, the sun casting a shadow over the street. Inside the alley an elderly man was being hassled by a group of suited thugs, a one-on-five match.

"Well? What're you waiting for? It's nearby, go!" Scylla exclaimed, jumping out of her seat and pushing the fighter out of his seat, giving him barely enough time to reach for his equipment before being ushered out the door.

"Jeez alright alright, Miss Bossypants!" Cyprus grunted as the door was slammed in his face. Hastily putting on his robe, he headed for the roof where he could get a decent vantage point, as he climbed the stairs he heard his partner shout out to him.

"That's Miss Scylla Varun Bossypants to you dear sir! Now get your butt moving!"

Cyprus rolled his eyes at the announcement, clipping his communicator over his ear he switched it on.

"Haven't seen Torchwick in a while, all we've dealt with in these past couple of weeks are petty muggings and brawls…You think he's all worn out?" He asked his companion, running up the stairs with surprising speed. Due to his knowledge of the buildings around him he had easily mapped out the quickest way to get where he needed to be.

"After getting your ass handed to you last time? Of course, he totally ran off with his tail between his legs." Scylla joked, although she didn't have any view of the store that night, she easily could tell how his most recent attack on the thief went when he got back.

Heading to the edge of the rooftop, Cyprus spotted a decent route towards the alleyway. Being on the edges of the more rough areas of the city, the pair of vigilantes were easily able to find and get to where most of the simpler crimes happened. Hooking his staff over a wire stretching to another building, the green robed vigilante sailed over the streets, the ground below populated by those thankfully with no reason to look above them, Cyprus ducked down into one of the branching alleyways and snuck through the shadows to get to the target, Scylla chatting in his ear along the way.

"Head left at this intersection, then they're right around the corner." The hacker mentioned under her breath, though just loud enough for Cyrus to take notice. "This is strange…"

"What is it?" He questioned, hearing the concern in her voice.

Scylla quickly looked through a book she left under her desk, flipping through it she quickly found a map of her camera locations, matching the one on the screen with the map, the girl raised her brow and brushed a piece of her Milano red hair out of her eyes.

"Well…This camera is probably the most noticeable one we have, I mean you can see it from the other end of the alley if you look hard enough." She said, leaning forward in her seat. Something didn't seem right, no criminal is so stupid as to commit a crime right in the view of a security camera, especially one so easily found.

"Meh, these idiots probably have no idea. Okay I'm here, shut up." Cyrus replied sharply.

"But I didn't-"

 _Click_

Shaking his head, he expected a beating once he got back for muting his friend once again. Inhaling, he stealthily made his way through the alley, he would easily be seen if the enemy turned the corner, so he made it a point to be a silent as possible. Light on his feet, he reached the final corner and extended his staff. Taking a defensive stance, he moved around the corner and caught the eyes of the criminals, and on the ground lay the beaten middle aged man.

"Five on one, real brave of you." Cyprus remarked sarcastically, twirling the staff around his back he aimed the barrel at one of the suited men, who proceeded to back away from the defenceless victim.

"Oh crap, is that…?" One of them exclaimed, eyes wide with shock. Suddenly a bolt of electricity smacked one of the thugs in the chest, causing him to collapse and twitch on the ground. The other four began to quickly disperse following the loss of one member of their team.

"Aw come on! Done already!? Bunch of pansies…" The vigilante said, collapsing his staff back to its compact form, he turned to the man on the ground, clutching something in his hand. Reaching out for him, he offered the wrinkled elder a hand up.

"Thank you my friend, thank you. Now then…."

Cyprus barely had time to even contemplate what had happened when the man he had saved struck him in the neck, causing the vigilante to kneel and collapse onto the ground. The older man pulled a miniscule syringe from his saviour's neck while reaching in his own pocket for a scroll.

"Sir? Yes sir, we have him. We'll bring him to you as soon as possible."

From the apartment room, Scylla sat in shock, unable to comprehend what had took place. She called out to her friend as she saw him dragged by the thugs and thrown into a car, as it began to leave, she opened her wardrobe to grab her own combat gear and stormed out of the apartment. The cameras and other equipment still creating a dull glow in the dark room.

Scylla headed to the roof to gain some kind of vantage point, but Cyrus, and the men who took him were already long gone.


	3. Chapter 3: Tagged and Bagged

Ruby Rose's short time at beacon had been a mixed bag. On one hand she had met several friends, tested her combat skills, becoming the leader of her own team joined by her sister and newfound friend Blake Belladonna. And finally managing to gain the respect of most of her peers, most being the key word. On the other hand there was Weiss, the rather uptight heiress to the Schnee dust company, and member of team RWBY, the snow haired young lady had made Ruby's life much more difficult than necessary. Ever since the team was decided she had given Ruby a hard time, believing her to be unfit for leadership. The latest class had emphasised this point, ending with a struggled victory over a Boarbatusk by the rapier wielding student despite the attempts the young leader made to give advice.

"…I've studied, and trained! And quite frankly, I deserve better." The heiress spoke, her words piercing the young girls' spirit with each syllable. Ruby reached a hand out as Weiss turned her back, leaving her leader in the dark hallway alone.

"Ozpin made a mistake." And with that, Weiss made her way out of the building, aggravated beyond measure by her new teammate. Ruby slumped her shoulders and began to trudge back to her dorm, where she almost walked into the aforementioned Professor, who had shown up just that moment.

"Hmm…" Ozpin mumbled, looking at the heiress as she turned a corner, signature coffee mug in hand. "Now that didn't seem to go very well."

Ruby backed away slightly, still stunned at the headmasters sudden convenient arrival. The girl looked up at him with a saddened expression, eyes beginning to water.

"Is she right? Did you make a mistake?" She asked, voice crackling as she was left almost on the verge of tears by the previous argument. Ozpin simply chuckled at the statement, looking down to the young warrior, he replied in a soft and calm manner.

"That remains to be seen."

Ruby lifted a brow and titled her head, puzzled by the Professors' reply.

"What do you mean?" She asked, straightening her posture and wiping a small tear track from the side of her face.

The Professor proceeded to sigh and take a quick gulp of his coffee, shifting his stance so that slightly more weight was pressed on his cane.

"I mean it's only been one day…" Ruby smiled at this response slightly, as the Professor continued. "I've made more mistakes than any man, woman and child on this planet. But at this moment I would not consider your appointment to leader to be one of them."

The headmaster leant forward to meet the student's eye level, smirking.

"Do you?"

Ruby contemplated for a moment, shifting her eyes back and forth before meeting Ozpins' gaze once again.

"I-I'm not sure…." She stammered, the Professor paused for a moment, then hummed and stood up straight.

"Miss Rose…" He began, "Being a team leader isn't just a title you carry into battle, but a badge you wear constantly. If you are not always performing at your absolute best, then what reason do you give others to follow you?"

Ruby dipped her head slightly, learning the meaning of what Ozpin was trying to have her understand. But she quickly lifted it back up, smiling at her mentor. She nodded her head and began to thank the headmaster for making her realize what it means to be the leader of a team. But before she could, he had already turned his back and stared off down the other end of the vast hallway, tilting his head as he continued.

"You've been burdened with a daunting responsibility, Ruby. I advise you take some time to think of how you will uphold it." The Professor began to stroll away, when suddenly his pocket began to vibrate. Folding his cane and taking his Scroll in a now free hand, he slowly walked back down the hallway he came from, footsteps echoing down the empty room. The sun began to set on the horizon with the last of the warming light of day reaching Ruby's face as she walked outside, feeling a newfound confidence in herself.

Ozpin turned his back on the redhead as she left the building, finally answering the call on his Scroll he spoke, heart beating ever so slightly faster.

"Yes? Very well. Do not damage it." The headmaster said flatly, after the short conversation he made his way slowly back to his office in the central tower. The sun quickly setting over the ocean as he climbed in an elevator, squinting his eyes slightly as the glare pierced his vision through the glass. As the lift climbed higher, he quickly tapped a few keys on his device, bringing up a text window. Setting his mug down on a small shelf in the glass enclosure, he began writing his message.

 _To: Glynda Goodwitch_

 _Package retrieved, meet in my office._

 _-Ozpin._

* * *

Scylla sat quietly in her apartment, rubbing her hands together in an effort to keep calm. Cyprus was gone, snatched away by a group of well-dressed tricksters. She found herself completely useless, even unable to cry due to the shock of what had took place. Her partner was a fool, an idiot with a farfetched dream of turning into something he was never even close to becoming, but he was still her friend, and she needed to get him back. A few hours had passed since his disappearance, and she decided to finally remove herself from the couch, a light imprint still remained on the cushions due to the time spent sat in the same position.

"Stupid Cyprus and his stupid staff and his stupid..." The girl paused for a moment, turning her head to the floor nearby, her eyes widened as she had a rare eureka moment.

"…Oh Scylla, you stupid genius!"

Scylla picked up her earpiece from the corner of the room where she had thrown it out of frustration earlier and switched it on, even though her foolish friend probably still had her on mute. She hoped once he woke up he would at least try and message her, if the device was still on him that is.

"Come on, give me something!" She cried out to the nothingness surrounding her, opening the blinds to let the moonlight through the window. Not exactly as useful as rays of the sun that the pair usually hid themselves from, but much prettier than having the blinds closed constantly. Looking outwards to the streets below where no doubt Cyprus would normally prowl at this time, searching for his next criminal victim. She chuckled to herself before regaining her composure and taking a seat at her desk, the large screens still lighting up the room.

"Now then…Let's see where you went…" The tech expert softly spoke to herself as she booted up the screens plastering the wall. After fixing her hair back up into its unique horizontal braid, opening the recorded footage of the scene that unfolded that afternoon, her eyes scanned for any remarkable detail that could stand out, anything that could give her a clue to finding him. The redheaded girl searched through the recordings for what felt like hours, the moon passing slowly overhead as the night passed by. The apartment room illuminating the street beside it almost entirely through the amount of screens displaying the bright lights, each telling a separate story of the days' events.

Looking through the few cameras that caught footage of the car as it travelled through the city, Scylla finally found what she was looking for. Narrowing her gaze to give her a better view, zoomed in on one of the screens which caught the rear end of the car that took Cyprus. Tapping her fingers on the desk she noticed something on the dark grey sedan that stood out, just barely visible on the corner of the trunk.

"Let's see what we have here…." A grin formed in the corner of her mouth, finally finding the clue that would lead her. The moment of triumph that she felt was however quickly thrown away once a tense silence overtook the room, Scylla's' hands paralysed in shock, her breathing ceased. Staring at the screen she saw a blurred symbol, but it was still evidently clear of what it belonged to.

Two plain axes, crossing each other at the handle.

The symbol of Beacon Academy.

* * *

Ozpin finally arrived at the desk of his office, the sun had finally set over the horizon and the countless stars already littered the night sky, making them seem like a reflection of the countless lights of the glistening cityscape below. The professor hummed to himself as he admired the spectacular view from where he was standing, reaching for another sip of coffee, he softly grumbled in disappointment as he found his mug empty.

"Headmaster." A feminine voice said flatly. Ozpin turned around to see Glynda standing in the centre of his office, waiting for him. Her arms folded across her chest, head titled slightly higher than normal as if to enhance her serious nature.

"Glynda, I'm glad to see you got my message." The professor said simply, his voice tame and calm as always, he raised a brow when he saw the woman close her eyes and shake her head at the grey haired superior. Sometimes she swore she was like a mother to him, attempting to scold the man for doing something brash and thoughtless.

"Ozpin you shouldn't have done this, you could have just found him, talked to him yourself." She stated, her tone raised in a slightly irritated manner. The now coffee-less Ozpin strolled past the blond teacher, unphased, and set his mug on his desk.

"He calls himself a vigilante, the idea of which is that he stays hidden. He never would have come out had we just asked him, so this was the most efficient method." The headmaster replied in a simple tone.

"But what if he fights back? Injures someone trying to leave!?" Glynda was almost shouting now, yet still failing to make a dent in the professor's steel-strong collectedness. Ozpin made his way around his desk and sat down in his chair. The dim lighting in the office created a calming atmosphere that Goodwitch couldn't help but feel just that little bit of relaxation when inside, leading her to take a deep breath as the headmaster rested his chin on his hands.

"We will simply talk to him. Ask of his motives, his ideals, what he wants to become. If he wishes to join us, he may. If not, we will let him go." He said, quietly pouring himself another cup of coffee from the machine on his desk. Glynda, however widened her eyes in shock at the plan.

"He is a _Criminal_! We can't just let him go back once he is here!" The woman cried out, becoming more furious with the decisions Ozpin was making. Her voice began to echo around the room, and a small wax candle on the corner of the headmaster's desk began to flicker, the small teardrop of heat warming the side of Ozpins' left hand as he moved them forward slightly.

"It is not a hunters' duty to concern themselves with the activities of law enforcement, Glynda." He stated, much to the blonde enchantresses protest. "Unless his activities affect us and innocent people in some kind of negative way, we should not get involved in the goings on of the Police department." Opzin continued, taking another quiet sip of his drink. Goodwitch sighed and placed her hands on hips, although still believing the headmaster's decision to be unwise, she could do nothing to dissuade him.

Glynda turned towards to edge of the headmaster's office, looking out over the city through the thick glass windows that made up a majority of the walls around them. No words were spoken between the two for some time, leaving only the sounds of breathing available to her ears. In the distance, blinking lights slowly made their way towards the front of the academy, the whirring engines of a small aircraft spun and slowed as it landed on a platform. Glynda slowly made her way inside the elevator before turning to the headmaster.

"Someday your eagerness to recruit any child you see with potential will backfire, Ozpin. And it will be on your head when it does."

Ozpin said nothing, instead rather to give his compatriot a short nod in acceptance of her parting speech. As the doors to the lift closed, Ozpin noticed his Scroll once again begin signalling an incoming message. Left alone with nothing but the rectangular device placed on his desk, he placed his mug beside him and took hold of the machine, opening the newly received message.

 _To: Ozpin_

 _Package almost here, where should we take it?_

 _-R._

The grey haired professor placed a finger to loosen the forest green scarf surrounding his neck, grinning sightly to himself. Laying back in his chair, he sent a short reply to the sender and rested the device back on top of the polished Oak desk.

 _To: R,_

 _Stellar work, bring it to my office._

 _-Oz._

* * *

Scylla finished putting the remaining pieces of her combat gear on, muttering to herself as she did. The reason Beacon Academy of all the places in Vale would want Cyprus boggled her mind, the police, government, even other criminals all made sense, but a school? The fiery redhead shook away the thoughts as she did a final check of her equipment. A black simple undercoat reaching her thighs, and a hood covering a majority of her appearance. Her arms containing Seafoam tinted metal Vambraces which spined upwards along the topside of her forearms, as well as a metallic chestplate of the same colour. Simple grey cargo pants and lengthened black leather boots, perfect for both style, combat and evasion. The entirety of the outfit lined with gold trims adding a rather unique touch the basic attire.

"Right…Let's see if you still work." She remarked, grabbing her weapon from its display on a far wall. It had been a while since she last used her weapon, ever since changing to her overwatch lifestyle she hadn't had many chances to practice her skills, save for one particular night when a pair of burglars made a spectacularly bad attempt to take her prized home network.

Doing a quick mental rundown of her weapon she let out a sigh of relief as she still knew the weapon like the back of her hand. The jet black crossbow encrusted neatly with several dust crystals, with blue spiralling marks along the limbs and stock. Her pouch of bolts rested neatly on her belt, filled to the brim with dust fuelled tips of all kinds, creating a rainbow of colours along her waist.

Heading to the roof, she remembered each route Cyprus took to effortlessly move around the city, each back alley and shortcut imprinted in both of their minds turning their way of travel into almost second nature. Observing the nearby Aircraft soaring above the city she spotted one landing at a platform a few blocks away. Looking like a small civilian transport, the young hacker swiftly made her way across the rooftops, focusing her aura to give her a slight boost in momentum.

The streets at this time of night were nearly abandoned, despite the lack of crime in the area thanks to the pair working to keep them safe. Soaring over another rooftop the tech expert pondered how she would even get to Beacon, much less rescue her friend once she got there. Unfortunately, this was the only plan she had, and noticing the few people leaving the airship, she took the opportunity. Bracing herself, Scylla lowered herself from the roof, grabbing onto a drainpipe that stretched to the ground floor below and sliding down. Sneaking behind a small maintenance shed she peeked around the corner, keeping her body low to the ground as to not be noticed by the two men standing watch at the door of the ship. Covering her mouth and nose with another piece of black cloth that hung from the inside of her collar, Scylla quickly turned and headed around the back of the two guards, keeping to the shadows as much as possible.

"Hey? Where do you think Grimm come from?" One of the men said, clad in a simple grey polo shirt and worker jeans. He proceeded to blow a cluster of smoke from his nostrils, cigarette in hand.

"Ugh, this again?" The other man said, his much taller figure slumped against a piece of metal sticking down from the aircraft. The light from a nearby streetlamp casting long shadows over the ground from where they stood. The smoker gave an irritated look to his associate's lack of enthusiasm, before turning his head back to the street and continuing.

" **I** think they came from another planet, I mean they barely even look like animals what with all those spines and white bony bits and….What do you think?" The shorter man turned, only to see his friend slumped against the ground, standing above him was Scylla, her crossbow held at head level with one hand, her other planted on her waist in a sultry pose.

"What the f-! " The man began to spout, before being knocked unconscious from a swift roundhouse kick by the woman in front of him.

"Sorry boys, I call dibs on this one." The brawler chuckled, holstering her crossbow into a frame of leather attached to her back. Turning to the door of the ship, she quickly dragged the two unconscious men back to the maintenance shed and climbed aboard, taking a seat in the cockpit. Looking at the vast array of flashing lights, knobs and buttons, the only thing that made sense to the computer whiz were the control wheel and throttle levers placed in front of the pilots' seat.

"Oh great…This is what I get for not doing my homework…" Scylla cursed under her breath, but suddenly jolted as she pressed the ignition, a voice appearing on a nearby screen.

"Hello! I am the B80CG Civilian air transport vehicle!" The cheery feminine voice stated, the woman inside stammered before thinking of an appropriate reply.

"Uh, hello! Big...Ship lady…"

"Would you like me to run the tutorial program? Autopilot is enabled automatically however manual controls may be turned on if you require!" The cheerfulness of the VI's robotic voice echoed in the cockpit, and the mention of an autopilot grabbed the attention of the crossbow wielder inside.

"Yes! Autopilot! Can you plot a course to Beacon Academy?" Scylla exclaimed, her excitement getting the better of her.

"Affirmative, please take a seat. Arrival to Beacon academy in fifteen minutes." The autopilot said flatly, her friendly tone only recognized as a computerized voice due to the distinct pauses she took between words. As the ship's engines fired up, the plane thief barely had time to take a seat before the craft jostled and wobbled from its lift-off. Looking down to the ground below, Scylla noticed a small group of people running onto the platform, powerless to stop her as the airship lifted off. As it gained altitude, she felt the cool air making its way into the interior, causing the redhead to shudder both from the increasing cold, and the anticipation of the events that awaited her. The young woman gazed out the window of the ship towards the calm city below, and looking up she could see the towers of the academy reaching almost all the way to the clouds, a guardian structure responsible for creating the next generation of hunters and huntresses. The protectors of the entire world.


	4. Chapter 4: The Proposition

Cyprus groaned as his vision slowly returned, his eyes failing to focus on anything around him. The last thing he remembered was walking around the corner of the shady alley before attacking the criminals beating that elderly man, the thoughts went through his head at a million miles an hour, barely able to concentrate on anything.

 _Did I lose? Where am I? What am I going to have for dinner tonight?_

Shaking his head despite the headache he had crying out in protest, the crime fighter rolled his head upwards, finally managing to focus his vision to the area. He felt a soothing heat as he noticed his robe was off, leaving him in a simple black shirt and blue jeans, tight fitting which emphasised the lack of noticeable muscle on his body. As Cyprus's eyesight returned to him, he noticed he was sat in a dark leather armchair, and standing in front of him was an unfamiliar man.

"Good evening." He stated, a suspiciously inviting smile on his face.

"Uh, good evening?" The vigilante replied, groaning as he rubbed the side of his face with his right palm. Looking around the room he was in, he noticed the darkness outside and pondered just how long he had been out of it. His gaze returning to the mystery man, Cyprus noticed that they were alone, the large office mostly empty save for the desk and two individuals present inside.

"Do you know who I am?" The bespectacled male questioned, his eyes unmoving from contact with Cyprus, making him feel uncomfortable. Unfortunately for the younger man, he had no idea, and saved his humour for another time as he simply shook his head.

"And do you know where we are?"

"I want to say either a Government building or the home of some major bigshot mob boss who sees me as a problem…" Cyprus answered before taking a more in depth view of the area around him, taking notice that he wasn't even tied to his seat. "But, seeing as we're the only ones here, and I can just…Get up and walk? I suppose you're someone who just wants to chat."

The man raised a brow as the 'captive' in front of him slowly rose from his seat, double checking to see if there wasn't anything holding him in place. Heading towards a large window to his left, Cyprus could see the pointed towers and structures around him and the lush gardens far below. Putting the pieces together, he realized exactly where he was.

"Welcome to Beacon, vigilante. I am Professor Ozpin." The seated man said, finally. Pouring a fresh mug of coffee, the headmaster watched as Cyprus quickly backed up, eyes shifting to the surrounding areas outside, his footsteps creating light echoes around the circular room. Raising his hand in jest, the confused vigilante turned to Ozpin and opened his mouth to speak, waiting for the moment a quick nod and a chuckle came from the professor.

"Uh yeah, I have _several_ questions…." Cyprus uttered, watching as the academy's headmaster lay back in his seat slightly, getting himself comfortable for what would no doubt be a string of questions.

"I'm sure, don't worry I will answer any queries you have. Coffee?" Ozpin replied, turning his hand over to the jug of liquid caffeine beside him. The black lava creating a slowly rising pool of steam helping to warm the cool air around the two figures in the room.

"Great! So-?"

"Did I call in favours and have some friends of mine bring you to me?" Ozpin interrupted, a cheeky smile growing slightly larger on his face.

"I was gonna ask where you put my stuff, but that's also a good question." Cyprus said, jokingly. Waving his hands around his side to emphasise the fact he was missing all of his combat equipment as well his robes, which made him feel slightly vulnerable, as well as a little uncomfortable at the same time.

"Your gear is held in a safe place, you need not worry. As for why I had you brought here…" Ozpin paused to take a sip of his freshly brewed drink as the man in front of him returned to his seat. "I apologize for the rather crude and deceitful method, but it was the easiest way to track you down without many hours and resources dedicated to finding you any other way. You know how to keep yourself hidden." The professor continued, a slight hint of admiration in his voice. Cyprus looked up to the ceiling, contemplating the chances of what the man in front of him had said to be legitimate. Deciding that he himself couldn't think of a better way to do it, the vigilante was content with the answer and gave a light hearted smile to Ozpin.

"And you brought me here because…?" Cyprus said, referring back to the original question the headmaster said he would answer. The vigilante leant forward with an elbow on his knee, and rolled his wrist in a circular motion, emphasising his need for an answer.

In his mind Ozpin couldn't decide on his first impression of the young fighter. He could definitely handle himself, and was obviously a focused individual, but his less than serious demeanour and casual look on things made the headmaster believe the young crime fighter didn't take what he was doing seriously. And an attitude like that could get someone hurt, or worse. However, Ozpin believed in never judging a book by its cover and decided to test the man in front of him further, and finally asked the question after a moment's pause.

"I want you to become a hunter."

Ozpins' reaction was not what he had expected, the cyan haired individual suddenly began to chuckle to himself, unable to fathom the reasoning behind this drastic decision.

"I'm a little old for that don't you think? I know I don't exactly look my age but I already _tried_ being a student at a combat school." Cyprus laughed to himself, the older man in front remaining unfazed by the outburst and instead let out a small chuckle.

"Your history with education is no concern. In my eyes you are someone with a gift, but without proper training you will get yourself, or someone close to you, killed. I am offering you the chance to _have_ that training."

Cyprus stood, wide eyed at what he had heard. He never even thought about fighting Grimm in his life, much less become an actual hunter. He never really liked the idea of becoming a protector from the vile beasts that stalked the lands, but the training he could receive would help greatly in his endeavors. Taking a deep breath, he was about to make a reply before realizing his earpiece was still attached, and swiftly took it out to check if it was still working. Holding it out to Opzin so the he could see what got the vigilante worked up. Closing his eyes and nodding his head softly, the headmaster left Cyprus to reattach the communicator, turning the device on.

* * *

"Thank you for using the B80CG Civilian air transport vehicle, have a pleasant day!" The synthetic voice for the inside of the ship called out to Scylla as she ran straight through the empty road leading to the doors of the academy, the sheer size of the area made her feel a thousand times smaller. Looking up towards the enormous towers, she had no idea where to even begin looking for her friend. Spying another landing platform, she snuck up slowly between the trees in the courtyards to the side towards a parked airship nearby. Climbing up one of the more full branches, the redhead balanced herself and peeked between the gaps in the leaves to get a better view of the men around it.

" _You_ …" She hissed between her teeth, rage building in her as she noticed several suited men standing guard, the same ones who took Cyprus. As the elder responsible for stabbing her friend stood by the ramp of the ship, the other men looked outwards towards the city, with two leaving to check out the ship that Scylla had arrived in. Gritting her teeth, she quickly and silently moved through the shadows of the trees, coming out to a clearing with a large fountain in the middle, she hoped that anyone noticing her would mistake the hacker for another student simply disobeying curfew laws.

Heading at what she thought was a close enough distance to the ship, Scylla stormed out from behind the shadows, in clear view of the man at the landing platform. Too busy looking at a ridiculous animation on his scroll, the wrinkled man chuckled at the device before his eyes noticed the dark figure moving towards him.

"Hey kid, back to the dorm, you aren't allowed on here."

Her stride not faltering for a second, the young woman came within meters of the kidnapper and took her crossbow out of its harness on her back. Scrambling for a gun holstered on his belt, the large suited man panicked at Scylla grabbed him by the neck and dragged him into the bowels of the airship. Her piercing red eyes paralysing her victim, she held her crossbow outwards and flicked a switch beside the trigger. Within seconds the bejewelled bow had extended, creating a long pole as well as inverted itself at the front, morphing the long range weapon into a large trident. The man attempted to call for help before being pinned against the wall of the plane between the gaps in Scylla's newly morphed tool.

"The guy you took today, where is he?" She asserted herself, bringing her face inches from his, a small lock of red hair falling over her eye.

"Just who do you thin-"The man began before grunting in pain as the woman holding him gave him a knee to the stomach, blasting the air from his lungs.

"I won't ask again."

The man coughed and wheezed before pointing out the door of the ship towards the school.

"Head…Headmasters office, elevator from the back of the main hall!" He hastily answered with what breath he had left inside him. Scylla brought her trident away from the man's neck and proceeded to grab him by the hair, grunting in pain as his head was thrown into the wall of the craft, causing him to pass out instantly. The young woman made her way out of the ship and back towards the main avenue to the academy, feet barely making a sound as she crossed the pavement.

Within minutes Scylla had found herself moving through the intertwining roads and structures of the main school grounds, keeping to the shady spots as much as possible. Searching desperately for an open window to the inside of the main building, taking her time to avoid any cameras around the area that she could see, the feisty redhead noticed a night guard strolling obliviously through a side door of one of the many buildings that linked with the main hall. Before it could close she snuck up behind the man, and like a mere shadow, slipped through the metal frame just as it sealed.

Slipping past one or two more guards, Scylla had no trouble reaching the elevator to Ozpins office, thankfully a school filled with the best and brightest aspiring fighters in the region didn't have to worry about break ins so only a few guards were ever stationed around the school at a time. The elevator to the Professors office lit in a dim green glow by the lights surrounding the sides, the glass enclosure able to fit at least a half a dozen people with room to spare. Sneaking past the lights the young woman tapped the button for ascension and stood restlessly in the rising box, when suddenly a tune began to play on the speaker.

 _Oh you must be joking…._

Scylla grumbled to herself as the light hearted melody ruined the atmosphere around her as it filled the air, lightly echoing off the glass walls. Attempting to re-immerse herself in her objective, she stared out towards the ocean, the lift providing a spectacular view of the city and rising landscape around it. As she reached the top of the spire, the lifts' miniscule noises becoming non-existent as it ceased to move, the smell of old books and coffee arriving in the air as the doors opened.

* * *

Ruby sat on the bed of her dorm, staring out the window to the open sky. Her team had finally found its footing, and it seems like everything will work out, despite the hurdles she knew she would face leading her newfound friends. Turning her head back to the homework plastered over her sheets she grabbed her coffee mugs, stirred to perfection by Weiss, waking her up a few moments before to make the young leader a fresh mug. Ruby sighed in content that previous argument earlier in the evening almost completely forgotten between the two, leaving them with a clean slate to begin their friendship.

"Hey Weiss?" She asked, attempting to keep her voice down as low as possible.

"Ruby please, I'm trying to sleep, I'll help with your homework tomorrow…" The heiress replied, groaning as she rolled her head to the other side of her pillow.

"No I just…Do you think Ozpin made me leader on purpose?"

Weiss paused for a moment, trying to think of a proper answer before poking her head from the underside of the bunk.

"I don't know, you came up with the idea that got us out of that forest…So maybe? I'm sure it'll work out in the end."

Ruby took another gulp of her drink, thinking about what Weiss had said. Shuffling her position, she too nudged her head to the outside of her bed, looking down to her teammate.

"Yeah, thanks We-"

"Will you two shut up?! Ladies trying to sleep over here!" A muffled voice shouted from the other side of the room, the blonde brawler had her face stuffed into her pillow on the opposite bed, her hand overhead making a circular motion with her index finger.

"R-Right, sorry!" Ruby replied, her voice heightening its tone as her sister's outburst caught her by surprise. Looking back down to Weiss she gave her partner a reassuring smile before sinking back to her covers, settling in for a much needed rest.

Looking over to her scroll, the leader noticed a notification had appeared in the time she and Weiss had their little chat. Activating her personal device it opened with a quiet bleep, a grey light plastering her face, and a short message popped up that surprised her.

 _Dear Miss Rose,_

 _Please meet in the training courtyard at midday next Tuesday for a special assignment, you may bring your fellow team members if you wish._

 _Regards,_

 _Prof. Ozpin_

* * *

Surprised would be an understatement for what Ruby felt that moment, a beaming smile across her face. She turned excitedly to tell her friends, only to find each one of them in a deep slumber. Finishing the last few drops of coffee, the huntress in training continued her work as much as possible, before sleep finally took over her as well, leaving a messy pile of half-finished homework littered over her bedsheets.

Ozpin raised a brow at the woman standing at the far end of the room, slowly standing up he picked up his cane and made his way around his desk. Between the two stood Cyprus, fiddling with his communicator as he tapped his ear to ensure it was working. Upon seeing the bespectacled Professor rise, the cyan haired interviewee quickly stood at attention, waving his hands in front of Ozpin he stammered. "Wait wait I can get it, gimme a second! Scylla? Scylla you there? Helloooo?"

"Cyprus?"

The man in question turned quickly, seeing his battle-ready friend in the doorway he rushed to her, while at the same time whipping his head back to the headmaster who stood with a mildly quizzical look on his face.

"Scylla? What are you doing here? I'm sorry I put you on mute I didn't mean to and how did you even get here I-"

 _ **SLAP**_

Scylla's' hand flew so fast through the air that even the professor himself had to take a second to realize what had happened, so called captive in the room stood wide eyed as his cheek turned a hot pink within seconds. The entire room was drenched in an awkward silent for a moment as Cyprus stifled a yell, the Professor finally managed to break it with a light hearted interjection to the pairs' scuffle.

"I suppose we have some explaining to do, thank you for taking the bullet for me, Cyprus." The headmaster spoke up, still as calm as ever. Scylla looked at him with burning eyes, only thanks to her friend grabbing her arm she didn't attempt to beat the older mans' glasses off his face. Growling at Ozpin she spouted at him through gritted teeth.

"You're damn right you do, who do you think you are taking him like that?"

"You know that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me…" Cyprus jumped in, however was met by a quick elbow to the gut, knocking the wind out of him. Holding another punch for after the professors excuse for the kidnapping, Scylla stood in place, fist clenched by her side.

"You seem to know a lot about this, I'm assuming you are his partner?" Ozpin finally said, standing straight in the centre of his office. The assumption not sitting well however with his new guest, who roughly shook off Cyprus's hold on her arm and stormed towards the headmaster, blowing out a candle with the wind she picked up speeding towards him.

"I'm his employee, when you took him I thought I would be out of a job." The redhead quickly removed her hood and mask. And moved closer, her face now inches from Ozpins', who still managed to keep his formal, relaxed look. Her piercing "And that's all."

"I apologize, I should not have assumed." The headmaster spoke calmly, lowering his head and turning to head back to his seat. Leaving his coffee mug on the dark wooden desk before taking a seat and continuing. "I do not wish to irritate you further so I will tell you everything."

Ozpin proceeded to spend the next few minutes telling Cyprus's saviour what he wanted of her friend, and after evaluating her skills the older man knew she would prove to be a valuable asset if recruited alongside him. Scylla was still highly sceptical of the true motives behind the man, but hearing his final words, she settled on a decision.

"I believe that with you both, we will gain two very talented hunters. Two who may not only protect our nation from the creatures of Grimm, but also protect the city in which you live in."

The Seafoam clad rescuer placed a hand to her face, sighing deeply. Turning towards her companion who stood with his arms folded, she looked at him with bags under her eyes, waiting for his choice.

"Hey, I say it's a win-win, but getting here and back every day might be a little annoying." Cyprus spoke up, shrugging to his friend with a kind smile on his face. Scylla turned back to Ozpin who chimed in once again.

"We can arrange for all of your equipment to be moved to a building here in the school, depending on how much room you need, of course."

The three sat in silence for a short while. An airship flying by in the distance darkening the office as it flew in front of the shattered satellite, casting a dim shadow over the three figures. Finally the redhead turned to Cyprus, giving a quick nod to show her approval, to which the vigilante chuckled and nudged his head back in the direction of the city.

"Well then, think you can cram all those screens in one suitcase?


	5. Chapter 5: New Blood

The pair of crime fighters finally arrived at the academy late the next week, the remainder of their time home was spent packing up their equipment and belongings, as well as getting what sleep they could. The airship they arrived on landed with a thump on the pad, the two inside barely having room to sit down with the boxes of electrical appliances and accessories in their way. Cyprus began to nod off in his seat, a bag tied around his waist containing the equipment he had grabbed the night before, and Scylla sat twiddling her thumbs, anxious of the day to come.

"Hey, wake up sleepy. Don't make me slap you again!" The redhead shouted over the whirring of the engines, wondering how her friend could even sleep with the noise.

"Gah! Spiders everywhere!" Her slim built friend jolted awake suddenly, head twitching as he remembered where he was. "Ugh, we there yet?" He asked, wearing a fresh change of clothes for the new day. The two sticking with casual attire for their first day at a new home, Cyprus wearing a grey dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and another pair of jeans. Scylla with a simple tank top matching her hair colour and a pair of shorts barely covering the top of her thighs, fitting for the warm spring day.

"You know I told you to shave…" She remarked, pointing to the young mans' chin. The vigilante held a hand up to his face, noticing the growing hairs beginning to cover his mouth and jawline. He smiled back at his companion before thinking of what he thought as a witty response.

"I thought I'd let it grow out, girls love a man with a beard."

"Ah, so you're waiting for them to tell you that it's a pathetic excuse for one?"

"I'm trying my best okay! If you have a miracle way of growing facial hair properly I'd like to hear it."

Scylla was about to give another comeback when the ships' door opened, causing the two to wince as the bright daylight shone over their faces. Unclipping from their seats the pair made their way out of the outside, met with a familiar face to Cyprus.

"Mister Haze? Glynda Goodwitch, a pleasure." She kept her face straight and gave the smallest of bows to the man in front of her, the fighter trying his best not to look at the enchantress's mature yet appealing figure. Her glasses and black stockings giving her an aura of authority and beauty, unfortunately he knew he stared too long when an elbow quickly jabbed him in the side, bringing him to attention.

"Y-yes, good to meet you Miss Goodwitch." Cyprus stammered, giving a short bow of his own. Beside the blonde woman were several guards, each with their weapons holstered on their backs. With a flick of her wrist, Glynda signalled the group to begin grabbing the boxes inside the ship, smiling and nodding to the two newcomers as they did so.

"Mister Haze please come with me. Miss Varun, please follow my guards, they will show you to your room." Glynda said, a flat, unfeeling tone in her voice. Turning around and walking in the opposite direction, Cyprus barely had time to say goodbye to his companion before jogging off to catch up with the huntress leaving him behind. Scylla stood awkwardly around the group of guards, each with a separate box of equipment in their hands, sighing to herself she began unpacking their things from the transport.

Following at a brisk pace beside the huntress, Cyprus figured he had best not ruin his first, make that second, impression with the woman beside him. And judging by her focused view and stern voice, she probably wasn't too happy with the new arrivals at the academy.

"So…Where are we going?" He asked, hoping that a question as simple as that wouldn't cause an outburst of rage from the irritated-looking lady.

"If you are going to be a student at our academy, you need to learn how things work. You need to understand classes, uniforms, curfews and…"

Missing a step in his stride, Cyprus stammered at the mention of the typical schooling involvements.

"Whoa hey! My class days are over, I thought we were going to learn how to fight!" He interjected, gaining a few sideways glances from the uniformed students making their way to and from buildings to their next lectures. Glynda gave him a fierce look before replying in a harsh tone.

"When you agreed to come to this school, you agreed to take part in whatever was necessary to become a hunter. That includes everything the other students here do, if you don't like it I suggest you leave **.** " Her commanding voice making the young vigilante take a step back, groaning he remembered what Ozpin had told him previously, the only way for him to properly protect the city like he had always wanted was to hone his skills. Remembering the last few fights he had with Torchwick and how none of them ended particularly well for him, Cyprus let out a short groan as he followed the teacher to a central courtyard. The area was largely empty, covered in the most pristine and untouched grass. Nearby there were several training dummies and targets, no doubt for the students to help themselves between and after lessons.

"Excellent, though that doesn't explain where we're going."

"Actually I think you'll find that it does, we are assigning one of our newest teams to give you a rundown of how things work. As they are lacking in experience Professor Ozpin saw it fitting to have you and your companion to work with them, at least for the time being. Now I suggest you begin acting your age." Goodwitch replied, her eyes hardly ever looking towards the man alongside her, instead focused forward towards a small stone bench nearby where the two headed.

"Hey just because I'm not a child doesn't mean I can't have fun once in a while." Cyprus joked, winking at the skilled enchantress. Unfortunately for his ego he was met with nothing but a grunt of disgust from the woman beside him, whom being already sick of his shenanigans stayed in silence for the next few minutes.

* * *

"Ruby, where are we going? What's this assignment?" Yang pondered to her little sister, hands held behind her back she and the rest of the team made their way outside, finally done with the droning lecture of Professor Port's never ending monologuing. The leader of team RWBY happily skipped along the stone pavement, excited for her 'special assignment' while the others followed suit, equally clueless as to what they were going to do.

"Ozpin said to meet in the courtyard, so that's where we're going!" Ruby chimed, not at all bothered by the message she received the previous night, but rather excited to finally find another way to prove herself as a leader. Strolling along the courtyards, the team noticed several guards in their signature grey armour, looking almost like robots in their automatic march through the academy. Beside Yang, the quiet member of the team made her jump as she poked a head over her shoulder.

"You know you really should stop obsessing over him." Blake whispered, causing her to fumble with her scroll as she tapped the screen to another new article of the Vale vigilante, describing how he supposedly took out an entire crowd of criminal thugs without a weapon, a feat that impressed even her high standards.

"Come on, he took out like fifty guys at once, unarmed! I'm good, but even I'm not THAT good." She replied, bouncing at another opportunity to talk about her newest idol. Rolling her eyes, Blake made another attempt to calm her teammate's excitement over the mystery hero ploughing his way through social media, sick of the obviously exaggerated article.

"The media makes _every_ story bigger to keep people interested, I wouldn't be surprised if it was all just some stupid publicity stunt." Blake's long black hair waving as she avoided a light bat to the face from her pouting friend, successfully aggravated by Belladonna's teasing. Team RWBY made their way the final turn to the courtyard, stopping to see two figures waiting on a seat nearby, one of which they noticed as Glynda Goodwitch. Ruby began to increase her speed, jogging towards the two figures nearby. The other three were left behind as they continued to walk, sighing at their leader's enthusiasm and making an attempt to catch up with the speedy redhead before giving up, knowing they'd never close the distance until she stopped running.

"Miss Goodwitch! Professor Ozpin said-"

"Team RWBY, welcome to your new…" The huntress sighed quickly before introducing the man next to her with a wave of her hand. "..Assignment."

Cyprus stood, barely keeping his cool as best he could from the sight of the girl in red. The coincidence of meeting her again seemed almost uncanny, even with the crazy amount of things that had happened to him in the past day. Keeping a warm smile on his face, the vigilante held out a hand to the young student in the hopes she wouldn't remember the parts of his face that were visible from their meeting.

"Uh, Miss Goodwitch?" Ruby was puzzled, she assumed her assignment would be important, but she expected an explanation shown to her, not a young man. The professor pushed her glasses back up against her nose and stood straight before responding.

"This is Cyprus Haze, a new..." She took a quick pause, "…Late arrival to Beacon, Professor Ozpin has assigned you and your team to assist him in getting settled."

"That's it?" Weiss chimed in, the rest of team RWBY finally arriving at the courtyard.

"As well as assisting him in his introductory trial in the Emerald Forest tomorrow." She concluded, narrowing her eyes and the team's brawler cried out in protest.

"But tomorrow's our day off!" Yang moaned, upset at missing her opportunity to relax for a day.

"I'm sorry Miss Xiao Long, but this comes from the headmaster himself. Once you show Mister Haze around the grounds, you will take him to his room on the southwest side of the school, one of the empty dorms where your team and the rest of the first year students stay." And with that, she turned and marched in the opposite direction, riding crop held in both hands behind her back. The remaining students were left in an agonizingly awkward silence as they stood in front of the new arrival, who quickly smiled at them in an attempt to break the tension, before his eyes slowly shifted to the blonde bombshell at the back of the group.

 _Well, hello beautiful…._

However, realizing he was staring after a couple of seconds Cyprus quickly returned his gaze to the familiar leader of the team, who gave him a reassuring smile. Grabbing his wrist, Ruby began to drag him through the courtyard, the rest of her teammates jogging behind to keep up. As the group made their way through the school, the redhead quickly listing off every building in the area, Cyprus' brain began to malfunction as the flurry of information went straight through his head. Thankfully the group slowed down as Ruby's excitement got the better of her and she stumbled, her face thankfully not hitting the ground thanks to her grip on Cyprus's arm, who luckily anticipated the move and kept her from falling.

"You know I STILL don't even know your names yet…" He said, carefully lifting the hyperactive student to her feet.

"Ruby!"

"Yang."

"Weiss."

"Blake."

The three girls in the team besides their leader seemed slightly sceptical, and Yang found this particularly strange. Ruby was always the one to avoid meeting new people, and often found it difficult to relate to those she had just met, often letting her Crescent Rose do the talking for her. Her concerns were put to a temporary rest however as Weiss raised a brow, leaning towards the new addition to the academy.

"You look a little old to be a student…And a little skinny to fight."

"Weiss, that's rude!" Ruby squeaked, shocked at the rather insulting question posed on their new friend. Cyprus however just seemed to chuckle at the accusations, his scruffy face giving an unabashed smile as he answered the heiresses question.

"Well I was a little late to the punch, I'm twenty." The other girls seemed shocked, even Ruby who almost fell on her back after letting go of Cyprus's arm. Weiss seemed especially surprised by his answer, her mouth hanging open as she stammered for a reply, which was thankfully answered for her before even having to ask. "Ozpin saw me fighting and decided I'd be put to better use if I was actually trained."

"Where could you possibly fighting to get the headmaster's attention? You're almost old enough to be a fully trained hunter already!" The heiress blurted out once again, although the man beside her simply laughed again and continued walking. The five continued to stroll around the school grounds, Cyprus every now and again asking one of the girls a mostly professional question, but slightly personal enough in an effort that he might know more about them. Thankfully he wasn't the only one asking questions, as noticing he was the only one around with neither a school uniform or proper combat clothing, one of the girls decided to make a topic out of it.

"So you fight wearing that?" Yang asked, studying the new addition to the academy up and down. His basic shirt and pants couldn't possibly be the kind of thing someone would wear to combat, even Jaune Arc had some metal plates covering his chest and shoulders.

"Oh dust no! Well, not just this at least. I don't really wear my gear unless I plan to use it, it's easier for me that way." Cyprus replied, patting the bag slung around his waist to show where said gear actually was, making a dull slap against him as it swung around from his shoulder. This emanated a simple, uninterested shrug from Yang, seemingly bored of learning more about the new arrival already. The vigilante rolled his eyes, turning back towards the pathway in front of him, heading around another corner towards once of the enormous towers that could be seen from miles away.

"So…" Ruby said, giggling as she bounced in front of Cyprus who had to wobble and bring his foot back to save himself from bumping into her. "What's your weapon of choice Mister new guy?" The sudden query made him a little uncomfortable, and remembering the abundance of news articles describing his weapon, he took no chance to give away and clues as to who he was until he didn't have a choice. Choosing a quick reply, he closed his eyes and lifted his shoulders.

"You'll have to wait and see, I left it with all my other stuff being moved." He held his breath, hoping the cape wearing leader wouldn't see through him and rummage through his things.

"No fair! I won't show you Crescent Rose!" Her puppy dog eyes almost breaking Cyprus's heart, so he decided to humour the young student for at least a little while, noticing the other girls in the group began to giggle slightly. Placing the back of his hand on his head, Cyprus leant back, creating a melodramatic show of despair.

"Oh no, I will never see the weapon of the great leader of team RWBY! My dream is ruined! Oh woe is me!" His comedic display creating a stifled giggle from two of the girls, somewhat getting used to having a new, less serious face around them. Yang however, barely gave a chortle at the man conversing with his sister, to which Cyprus guessed that she was judging him and the way he spoke with her little sister. He supposed he should back off slightly, especially seeing as he barely knew anything about the girls around him, and the narrowing of her eyes when he made contact with her violet gaze only supported this option. He quickly switched back to a slightly slouched stance, and continued walking with the group, Ruby grumbling while trying not to laugh as she followed close behind.

A few more corners later, the group finally saw the last of the noteworthy places the school had to offer, and deciding he'd seen enough, Cyprus asked if he could head back to the building where Scylla and the others with her had surely finished unpacking, or at least moving all the boxes to. Ruby obliged and skipped back along the path two the building Goodwitch had told them to go to.

A few minutes went by as they made the last few feet to the building, a large square complex almost like an apartment complex filled the view in front of them. Cyprus felt a familiar sense of home in the housing area, only cleaner and with what he hoped would be nicer neighbours. Climbing the stairs inside the five made their way through the dormitories, finally finding his room thanks to the piles of boxes littering the floor and the exhausted guards slumped against the wall.

"Hello? Anyone….Oh my." Cyprus stood wide eyed as he poked his head through the doorway, finding Scylla stood upon a chair in the centre of the room, ordering the few guards still standing where to put each piece of furniture so that it was perfect. The place was already much bigger than he had anticipated, with two separate large beds against the wall, there was plenty of room for Scyllas' home network which lined the opposite side. Power supplies, wiring, and countless screens that covered it gave an instant feeling of home. Upon noticing her companion slipping into the room, along with four other girls, she instantly puffed her chest out, ready for a fresh batch of jokes.

"So finally got those groupies you dreamed of?" She said, before yelling at a guard to move a table ever so slightly to the left.

"Something like that, looks like you're settling in well." Cyprus replied, folding his arms at the triumphant woman on her wooden throne. She was about to make another joke about Cyprus's recent fan following when Ruby strolled into the room like a zombie, her eyes plastered upon the monitors.

"Whoooaaa….." Her eyes widening every second, Scylla felt the need to close them before they popped out of her face. The other's in the team followed suit, each observing a separate section of the room before them, Yang seeming particularly interested in the armour set hung on a stand nearby, its Seafoam plates glistening in the sunlight forcing itself through the large window.

"This is…The entire city!" Blake exclaimed, standing in awe over the dozens of cameras showing key areas to Vale. Though not the entire city, she was certainly impressed at the amount of coverage Scylla had. "What's it for?"

"We do a little security work." Scylla answered, hopping down from a chair and giving a friendly smile to the student. "We help the cops, give them info, pretty much keep the peace as best we can." She continued, Blake returned the smile and faced back to the cameras, still dumbstruck by the sheer wealth of information the network could provide.

The Schnee heiress wondered how the pair could afford all this, observing the high tech equipment stuffed below the long table. Holographic keyboards filled the wooden tops and flashing multi-coloured lights beeping on and off at a constant rate, she was about to ask before another knock at the door made many of them jump.

"Well, seems like you two are all set."

"Professor, good to see you again, sir!" Cyprus responded to the new voice, giving a small bow to the incoming headmaster, who returned it before raising a hand to the new arrival.

"Please, there is no need for formalities. I just came to see how you were settling in, and to let team RWBY know that their next class is about to start." He replied, giving a smile to the redheaded leader of the team, who dutifully checked her watch and gasping, sped out of the room in a flash. Only returning for a split second to collect her team.

"Nice to meet you Cyprus and other girl! We'll be back after class!" She exclaimed before grabbing the hand of her sister who was nearest to the door and dragging her out, the other two members of RWBY following suit. As she exited she realized she felt a sense of familiarity from the new boy at the school, as if she had seen him somewhere. With the three characters alone, save the guards who were putting the finishing touches on the furniture, they each stood in silence for a moment, Ozpin finally breaking it after a sip of coffee.

"Very impressive I must say, how do you plan on using it here?" He asked the pair, who each shrugged and smiled. Scylla beginning her answer first.

"I'll stay and monitor this as much as I can, play through recordings after class seeing as that's what we're doing now." She gave Cyprus a quick, angry look before turning back to the professor. "If we find anything or catch anything on screen, he'll go chase it." She pointed a thumb towards her companion.

"And you think we'll just allow you out of the school to continue your vigilante work?" Ozpin said flatly, smiling through an adamant composure.

"You're welcome to try and stop me." Cyprus interjected, mischievously grinning to the headmaster, who returned the smile and nodded, both knowing full well none of the equipment would even be here had Ozpin not wanted the two continuing their work.

"Very well. Mister Haze, Miss Varun, I look forward to seeing you both tomorrow at the Emerald Forest."


	6. Chapter 6: No Beating Around the Bush

"Here, catch." Scylla said to her friend who had now made himself comfortable on the couch, throwing a second Scroll of the pair she held in her hand to Cyprus. Batting it in the air a few times, he finally managed to steady the device that had hurtled towards him and caused him to jump in his seat. Switching on the scroll, it chimed with a friendly tune and expanded horizontally, and a yellow blip appeared, flashing on and off.

"Huh, looks like I'm already the popular kid." Cyprus chuckled, tapping the flashing light in the corner of the screen.

"Think again genius, it's our schedule for tomorrow. Thanks to you I'm a student here as well." Scylla responded, rolling her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time at her companion's egotistical tendencies. The sun was about to start setting for the day, letting a blinding amount of light through the window in a last ditch effort to burn the retinas of anybody too unfortunate to be caught looking towards it.

"Hey at least you're young enough to still pass as a student!" The vigilante gave an audible laugh as his friend gave him another glare before turning back to the windowsill. Cyprus leant back in his seat, his eyes wandering over to his Scroll, which was now showing a short message for the next day.

 _Mr. Haze,_

 _Please meet at the transport platform at 9am tomorrow morning. I will be waiting there along with Team RWBY, if you feel the need to explore the school tonight, I have allowed you access to the grounds after curfew. I look forward to your evaluation tomorrow._

 _-Professor Ozpin._

This was strange. Cyprus was a student, he expected to be treated like every other student, so why was the headmaster giving him such benefits, such freedom while here. It didn't make sense, but for now he decided not to worry about the abnormality and focus on the now. Folding the scroll and lightly throwing it onto his bed at the other end of the room, he held his arms behind his head and gave a yawn, the rest of the day that was spent unpacking, cleaning and adding personal touches to the new room drained the pair of most of their energy.

Scylla stood with her head out the window, a pair of stylish glasses protecting her from the sun as she looked down towards the flurry of students heading out of the other building to finally be done with their classes.

"I guess that'll be us soon, huh?" She said, waving to the familiar faces down below, who quickly began running up to meet them, along with another group of four whom she didn't recognize. The hacker was about to return to her desk when the door suddenly burst open, revealing Ruby stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips, laughing manically in her announcement. She quickly sped towards Scyllas' monitoring equipment and continued to stand once again in amazement at the network.

"It's so…Pretty…" She said, zoning out on one of the screens. Looking down she quickly went to tap on the holographic keys on the table, only to be grabbed by the hacker, whose eyes widened in shock.

"DON'T TOUCH THAT!" Scylla cried, holding the young girl by the waist and lifting her in the air. Ruby began to groan in disappointment before the pair stood dead still, in an incredibly awkward silence as seven other people made their way into the room, staring at the pair causing a ruckus. The mood finally changed when Cyprus began to burst out laughing, overjoyed that the gawkiness was aimed at his partner and not him. Setting Ruby back on the floor, Scylla patted herself down and gave those at the doorway a friendly wave before beckoning them inside. The four new arrivals giving a feel of Déjà vu to the vigilante as they too stood in amazement at the setup that Scylla was responsible for monitoring, after some quick exchange of introductions the crowded room felt like it was going to start gravitating the attention of everyone in the entire school at this point.

"Hey that's my favourite donut store!" One of the new girls in the room shouted, her bubbly personality getting the better of her as she started to visibly drool at the thought of more meals. "Why do you have a camera looking at that?" She questioned. As Cyprus was at the other end of the room talking to the only other boys there, most likely about fighting judging by the way they discussed his combat robe which was now hung just inside a wardrobe, Scylla took it upon herself to answer the question as vaguely as possible.

"We kinda have an arrangement with the cops, they pay us for extra camera recordings that we monitor so they get an edge, mostly to see whether it's busy or not."

"Regardless, the setup is very impressive." Another of the new team said, giving Scylla and approving smile. Her Amazonian style armour glistening bronze in the setting sunlight.

"Well it clearly isn't helping is it?" Yang suddenly burst out, her arms folded and her head tilted to the side, eyes narrowed towards the screen Nora had spent the last few seconds salivating over.

"Excuse me?" Scylla was shocked, she had worked extremely hard for this and here was some blonde nobody badmouthing her life's work. From the corner of her eyes she saw Blake holding two fingers to the bridge of her nose, shaking her head.

"The only person who's done anything to stop crime in the past few months is the vigilante!" Hearing this Cyprus's ears picked up and he swiftly turned around, nonchalantly covering his combat gear as best he could. Ruby however noticed this, and a switch flicked on in her brain.

That's where she'd seen him. That's where that nagging feeling had come from, and sneaking away from the increasing argument, she pulled up beside Cyprus, helping to block his robe from view.

"Yang, please not this again…" Weiss sighed, softly grabbing her team-mate's arm, who shook it off and continued her rant.

"Nobody else has stopped nearly as many damn criminals, stores would have been robbed dry if not for him. He is a hero!" At this point Cyprus had enough, looking to his friend, who was completely taken aback by the argument that had took place, the vigilante nodded before turning to put on his robe, the dark forest green cloth picking up a current of air as it was whisked away from its hanger.

Yang was about to continue her argument when she noticed nobody was even listening, every head in the room had now turned to the man in the corner. His arms held at his side and his fists clenched, he slowly pulled a hood over his head, announcing his identity to the small crowd. Scylla slowly took her seat, holding her hand over her face, as if in defeat of Cyprus who so willingly revealed himself.

"Come on, they were gonna find out eventually anyway." He said, walking towards his friend ad placing a hand on her shoulder. The room was drenched in silence as he calmly took another seat on the couch, lifting his legs up over the armrest and sighing, seemingly oblivious to the two teams that each stood with their mouths wide open. Save for Ruby, who stood giggling to herself at the man relaxing in front of her.

"Y-you're the….." Yang finally stammered, knees shaking and eyes widening as she stood completely paralysed at the sudden appearance of her idol, and barley able to make a sound louder than a squeak.

"Let me guess, you were expecting more the, uh, dark and mysterious type of person?" Cyprus joked, lifting his hood off and chuckling to himself.

"I…Yeah…" The brawler's heart was going crazy, but her brain still couldn't even understand what was happening. The person she followed almost religiously for the past few months was standing right in front over her, she even left a less than stellar impression on him the first time they talked. Yang took a deep breath, before trying to continue, but she couldn't even think of anything to say to Cyprus, who began walking over to her, his face slowly ending up right in front of hers.

"Now I'd appreciate it if you don't insult my partner, without her I wouldn't even be able to find the criminals I go after, so play nice. Capiche?" Yang's blush increased, meanwhile Scylla was about to defend the girl despite her previous attitude. Before she could do anything though Cyprus reverted back to his usual self, reeling back and holding his hand out with a smile on his face. "Now then, a pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss Xiao Long, welcome to my lair!" Letting out a hearty laugh, Yang grabbed his hand with both of hers, shaking it vigorously, causing the rest of the people in the room to laugh along with them.

"You're not exactly what I expected from the guy making all the headlines." The green clad martial artist said, his calming, tranquil voice adding a much needed change of atmosphere to the room.

"I might go out at night and help people, but I'm still a person! With thoughts and dreams and a craving for dinner, Scylla! Food me!" A few of the group raised their eyebrows at the odd statement, but quickly laughed it off as the redhead in question threw a series of various nibbles at his face, rallying him to duck behind the couch for safety.

"As you can see we're both very professional in our line of work!" He shouted, ripping open a packet and diving in.

"See? I told you we'd get along!" Ruby piped up, diving behind the couch and stealing a handful of the vigilantes' food and stuffing it in her mouth. A goofy grin on her face as she poked her head to look at her older sister, who couldn't help but smile at the innocent sibling's act.

"You're having this for dinner?" Weiss exclaimed, taking a seat on the bed.

"We didn't exactly bring our fridge with us! Besides, I don't feel like cooking." Scylla chortled, taking a packet of her own and digging in. The heiress seemed almost sickened at the simplicity the two were living in, to her it seemed unheard of to have snacks for dinner, even though she had wrapped her head around their frivolous nature. Standing up from her seat she walked over to the vigilante and grabbed him by the arm and began pulling him to the door, much to the other's concern.

"I refuse to see you two eating like slobs, main hall. Now!" She shouted, her grip on Cyprus's arm tightening as she attempted to bring him through the door, the man barely having time to take his gear off and throw it onto the couch. The others finally laughed and began heading out the door as well, Scylla typing a few keys on her desktop before following the bulk of the group, having to give Yang a poke to snap her out of the still awestruck state so that she would follow.

"You doing okay Goldilocks?"

The tall girl took a second to respond, blinking heavily and shaking her head she replied.

"Yeah, he's just not what I expected, that's all." Her head dipped slightly, which Scylla noticed and brought an arm around her shoulder, giving the girl a reassuring smile.

"Well would you rather meet a dark, grumpy ass who doesn't know how to have fun?"

Yang smiled at this, calming herself down and brushing a piece of her luscious hair from her eyes.

"No, I guess not."

* * *

Arriving in the main hall, Cyprus received a couple of strange looks from those in the room who hadn't seen him before. But thankfully he was unrecognisable without his gear, however long he could go not wearing it seemed like a luxury. The hall was massive, its roof stretched over three stories in height, with long wooden tables stretching the entire length of the floor, matched with benches on either side. The sun just reached the horizon and cast a perfect orange glow through the thin windows spread in perfect symmetry along both side walls, even Scylla admitted it wasn't too bad a sight, despite her indoorsy nature. Finding a more secluded spot in the back corner of the room, the group sat down, with the two newest arrivals in the centre.

"So did you really take out a crowd of guys with your bare hands?" Ruby asked, before being muffled by her sister who held a hand over her mouth, giggling nervously to herself.

"Well, it was more of a large crowd, but yeah I guess you could say that." Cyprus answered before grabbing a piece of chicken and shovelling it into his mouth, sighed in bliss as he had his first decent meal in a long time.

"Semblance takedowns don't count!" Scylla interjected, mischievously smiling at the man who had now sat up and after swallowing his food, poked his tongue out at his partner. The others around the table all seemed particularly interested, eyes widening at the mention of a new fact.

"You beat those criminals with just your semblance?" Pyrrha asked, impressed that such a feat could be achieved with nothing but his ability. She thought for a moment before giving up on assuming what it could be and asked, "So what is it?"

He didn't know why he said what he did following this, but he had a feeling he shouldn't tell them, at least not yet. With yet another wide grin on his face, he replied to the green eyed student.

"Oh you'll see someday, I like to keep people guessing." From the other side of him he felt the bench begin shaking as the hyperactive member of team JNPR held her hands at her cheeks.

"Oh the anticipation is killing me! Is it anaesthesia? Or mind control, Oh oh! Or maybe it's that thing animals do when they make themselves look bigger than they actually are!"

The group began to laugh and guess at the man's semblance for a time, until Yang brought up the network that was the centre of attention back at their room. This made Scylla particularly happy, feeling like it was able to be her time to shine, seeing as she was the brains behind the action that Cyprus was oh so happy to involve himself in. The tech geek became even happier when the centre of attention motioned his hand over to her, allowing her to be in the spotlight for a while.

"Well, I set up my own wireless network that is able to hook onto the best Valeweb connection available. From there I use a series of Decrypters and other stuff to help me get into any site I can find, masking equipment to keep me off the radar, and the screens each show a different camera I set up all over the city!"

"All that tech must have costed thousands! How can you afford it?" Pyrrha then exclaimed, amazed that someone barely older than her was able to set up such a sophisticated and expensive matrix of technology.

"Cyprus gave me the funds. Long story, but I wasn't exactly doing all that well until he picked me up. Now that you mention it though, where did you get the money for it all?" Scylla asked, her gaze turning slightly to meet her partners'. The vigilante began to stammer before thinking of a reply.

"I'll tell you later, relax it's nothing stingy or weird." He replied, flatly. Hoping that would be the only question of that topic to be aimed at him. Continuing to dig into their food the group's exchange of queries and conversation died down slightly, everyone much too busy enjoying a full, much needed meal. As they each finished, some before others as Nora only needed a minute to completely clean off her plate, the sunlight faded and the moon began to be seen in the sky. The students slowly bean to file out of the main hall, satisfied with their dinner and ready for some R&R before the next school day.

The ten students filed out, the last of the people inside to do so as the lights began to dim inside the building, and headed back to their dorms. Thankfully the vigilante duo weren't too far from their new friends' rooms and managed a short continuation of their conversation before saying goodbye and parting ways. Finally reaching their room Cyprus and Scylla wandered inside, the former ripping his shoes off and collapsing on the bed, the latter checking over each screen on her wall for changes and grabbing a bag before heading into the bathroom.

"You know I think I'm gonna like this place!" Cyprus called out to his companion, who was too busy brushing her teeth to reply. "And that blonde…You think she has a thing for me?"

"I swear to god if you get a superiority complex just because one of your friends is a fan of _our_ work, I will slap you!" Scylla called back through the door, muffled due to the toothpaste in her mouth. The vigilante merely laughed, knowing he wouldn't get any kind of reassuring answer from her.

Scylla was great company for the man who took her in, she managed to keep him in line, keep him from going insane talking to himself all day, and even on many occasion keep him alive. Cyprus knew he couldn't ask for anybody to stay with him, even though the two argued, had ridiculous fights over the most nonsensical things, he didn't regret getting her on board for a second.

Cyprus smiled to himself as he though this, eyes moving slowly around their new residence. The cream coloured walls and ceiling adding a nice sense of simplicity against the insanity that had took place in his life over the past few days, but right now he didn't want to worry about anything, closing his eyes he rested on the bed until something small smacked him in the cheek.

"I told you to shave." Scylla giggled, poking her head out of the bathroom door. The two laughed as Cyprus picked up the razor from the bed and entered it, kicking out his companion in the process.


	7. Chapter 7: The Trial

Scylla woke to the soft pitter-patter of rain against the window, two hours of the night before was spent catching up on the surveillance she missed the days of the move. Cyprus did what he could without eyes on the city, stopping a couple of petty brawls in the more run down area of Vale, but she had to be sure nothing big was missed. Checking her scroll she realized she still had almost an hour before they had to meet at the platform, and her bed felt like pure bliss as she snuggled herself in the covers. But all good things must come to an end as her companion soon opened the curtains, letting light flood the room before speeding into the bathroom for his morning shower. Leaving the girl to groan as the wet and cold outdoors screeched at her to head outside, and making her more upset was the loud scream of running water as Cyprus shut the door to the shower and began singing.

"Nooooo…" Her ruffled hair covering her face completely different to her usual braided style, which would give her a sense of informality would anyone be there to see it. Bringing a pillow over her face she begged for someone to save her from the painful voice blaring through the other room.

" _Now that we've come, so far~ How can we something something, uhh…"_

"You don't even know the words!" Her muffled shouting in vain as Cyprus continued his so called singing. Knowing she wouldn't get back to sleep in the short amount of time left, the tech geek crawled out of bed, body lazily flopping on the ground in a ragdollesque fashion. The cold brought a wash of discomfort over her as she dragged her tired body over the carpet, the rain constantly reminding her of the day to come. Wrapping herself up in her duvet, she shuffled her feet towards the far wall, switching on the nearest computer screen to her.

A few minutes of browsing Cyprus finally made his way out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist, thankfully Scylla was used to seeing her friend constantly patrolling the apartment in less than a comfortable amount of clothing.

"You still can't pull off the shirtless look."

Cyprus merely laughed, one day she swore he would find his way into a women's locker room looking like that and become a laughing stock, his skinny figure only turning heads so they could giggle at his pathetic attempt to look manly. Then again he would probably laugh along with them and agree, his ego only able to take a hit from herself and anybody else making an attempt he might misinterpret as flirting.

Quickly getting dressed, the vigilante did a final stretch before digging into his breakfast, which today happened to be a small hand sized box of cereal.

"So," he began, his mouth already full of food. "What do you think we're doing today?"

Scylla had already gotten up and headed to the bathroom to clean herself up, closing the door behind her she responded, shrugging towards the mirror as she grabbed her toothbrush.

"No idea, but I bet we'll have to kick someone's ass…Or fight Grimm." She replied, a little more nervous at the thought of the second possibility. Cyprus quickly placed his breakfast box on the bed before walking quickly to the bathroom door, placing his head on the side wall.

"You know I've never fought one of those things before." The man was worried now. A person he could take care of in seconds, even a group of people if he had the upper hand, but Grimm? He had no idea what they were truly capable of aside from news reports and info taken from websites. "If they're throwing us straight into those things they seriously need to rethink their teaching methods."

The pair chuckled, but both of them knew that if that was the case it'd be a bad idea to go through with this. Scylla barely had experience against Grimm, and a couple of run-ins with Beowolves couldn't fully prepare her for a full on assault against the hordes of dark monsters. Then again, she thought, if each of the students who did this previously came out alright, they should have no problem themselves.

Cyprus finally finished getting his gear on, his staff folded and placed inside his robe. A quick brush over of his armour just to make sure he was all set and he headed out the door, with Scylla close behind. The plates covering his shoulders and arms hugged them tight, letting him move almost as it they weren't even there, and the split of the robe left only the backs of his legs covered. He made a mental note to modify his hood when he got back, the green cloth helped to hide his features, but didn't work as well in combat, covering his eyes and making fights somewhat of an issue.

"Looks like it's gonna be a storm today, I just cleaned these shoes." The hacker cursed as they headed out into the cold, the rain falling a very light amount, but black clouds rolled over in the distance, and the faint rumble of thunder could just barely be heard. After jogging through the school grounds, and getting suspicious looks from the other students holding their books over their heads in an effort to stay dry, the two finally made it to the landing platform.

Yang sat in the side opening of the large transport ship, the door wide open to welcome the new passengers. The grey interior simplified for basic transport, and it was easy to tell this was no luxury vehicle like the airship that transported them to the school on their first day. She was eager to see how well Cyprus would do against Grimm, unsure of how much experience he had dealing with them, the news only ever mentioning the deeds he did inside of the city. Upon seeing the man appear at the edge of the platform, she had an internal flashback of the blurred, unfocused images she saw repeatedly in the news.

"Well, he looks nice." Ruby chattered, bumping her sister lightly with an elbow. Resulting in her hood being pulled over her head by the older sister, who growled and proceeded to hold a hand over her mouth to shush her.

The two other members of RWBY stood on the opposite side to the aircraft, both bundled up in the biggest coats they could find. Unfortunately not enough to keep most of the cold out as they still wore their combat gear underneath, and their legs still fully susceptible to the increasingly biting winds. And in the centre seat sat Professor Ozpin, unmoved by the chilly air and sitting calmly with his eyes closed and back straight. Seemingly in a state of constant concentration, the headmaster never seemed to falter in his self-control, despite what strange or nerve wracking things may be happening.

"Hey Professor? Couldn't we have done this on a sunnier day?" Cyprus yelled out to the man as the engines began to start up, turbines creating a deafening noise as they glowed blue with energy. The steel doors shut with a hiss as the outside noise became muffled, Ozpin opening his eyes and smiling at the new student.

"A hunter must be able to fight in any environment, no matter how rough. And I'm sure with your skills you will have no trouble passing this test."

 _Skills….Right._

The vigilante gave chuckle to the headmaster, hiding his worry under a false smile for the remainder of the flight. Scylla however was having a much easier time dealing with the wait, making a pleasant conversation with the group on the other side of the craft. This made Cyprus smile, genuinely this time as he never really saw his companion with anybody besides himself, some friends would be good for her, maybe help her get out more.

After a short trip through the air, the rain had begun to increase, and the grey clouds closed in over the emerald forest. On the horizon a Nevermore could be seen soaring just above the tree line, although much too far to be trouble, it still made the vigilante uncomfortable at the sight.

"So where are we landing?" Scylla asked, looking out as the airship slowed and the doors opened, many of the group inside shivering at the blast of air hitting them. The professor slowly stood up and took himself to the edge of the interior, looking down to the trees below.

"We aren't."

 _What._

Cyprus leant over the edge of the craft, the increasing rain causing his hood to become soaked within a manner of seconds, though that wouldn't matter soon anyway. Turning back to the headmaster with a quizzical look on his face, the man quickly shook his head at the assumption of what the plan of action truly was.

"A few kilometres north of here will be an ancient circular ruin, with chess pieces held on pedestals. Make your way to it and collect one each." Ozpin stated, flatly. "Team RWBY will be on standby here to assist should anything go wrong."

A quick thumbs up from Yang was all Cyprus was able to comprehend before he saw his partner leave the aircraft, screaming in delight as she hurtled towards the ground and quickly vanished out of view. He was about to protest before a rough push to the chest from the lilac-eyed team member sent him off the ship as well, and until about halfway down only one thought rushed through his head.

 _She sure looks good in those shorts…._

* * *

Scylla sped towards the ground with an intense speed, streamlining her body and unhinging the crossbow from her back. Waiting until a mere second before hitting the tree line, the huntress in training fired a bolt that ripped open the leaves of the tree below her, leaving only the toughest of branches. She lifted the weapon far above her head, bending her knees and catching the downward-pointing limb onto one of the broken, pointed stem hanging off the trunk, causing her to swing violently forward and back up, returning to the open air. Then, repeating the same process, she slowly lessened her altitude each time until she was safely able to dismount onto the ground, landing with a soft thud well over a mile away from the hovering craft she had leapt from moments before.

Cyprus on the other hand, had a much rougher landing. Spiralling out of control from the push, he flipped his head around, trying to get a bearing of which direction he was looking in. The sound of wind screaming in his ears made him nauseous, but closing his eyes and focusing his strength, the falling student managed to steady himself. Seconds later her face planted into the leaves blanketed below him, before finally smashing through the branches in his path and slamming into the hard, wet ground.

 _Ow._

His head felt like it was on fire, despite his aura giving him a decent amount of protection that undoubtedly saved his life, Cyprus's body ached everywhere, and wouldn't be surprised if he had broken a few bones. Groaning in pain, he pushed himself off the muddy dirt that his impact had kicked up. The increasing rain not helping his case, he held a hand to his head and found a spot underneath a large cluster of branches, where the rain had trouble reaching.

Meanwhile the crossbow-wielder quickly made her way through the underbrush, leaping over large puddles like they were a third of the size. While passing through, she thought to herself as the saw something move just out of sight. Ever since Cyprus took her in, he had become far more reckless as time went on, perhaps he believed that she would come to his rescue if he ever got in too much trouble, or maybe he just wanted company. Scylla however had to shake the thoughts off as a growl could be heard within the bushes nearby, taking out her weapon, she aimed at the glowing red specks before they could get closer, and fired.

The Grimm seemed to come from everywhere, although thankfully just small, weak Beowolves for now. As they came closer, their claws digging into the soil as they charged from all directions, Scylla decided to pull out. Killing the nearest group, she carved a path through the forest, sticking a series of red tipped bolts from her pouch as she went into the trees around her. Turning around after making headway through the foliage, the fighter raised her weapon and fired straight down to the first bolt she stuck.

The resulting blast created a series of blinding flashes followed by a fiery pillar of dust flames which reached high above the tips of the forest. The airship in stasis above could see clearly the damage it caused, and the headmaster inside raising a brow as the other students watched with mouths agape.

"That was incredible! I can't believe he could do something like that!" Weiss exclaimed, truly shocked at the display of destruction that had occurred. The others didn't bother responding, too busy scanning the now burning landscape for any sign of the vigilante, unfortunately to no avail as the man they were looking for was much closer than they realized.

Far away from the action, Cyprus was still trudging through the muddy forest floor, still exhausted after his impact. To his left, a small Beowolf, no bigger than he stalked its way around him, thinking it was unnoticed and partially hidden by the flora.

"Alright, let's see how tough you really are." He muttered, bringing his staff from the inside of his robe and extending it, the blade on the end slowly activating with a smooth metallic scrape. The second the beast met his eyes it charged, spewing up water from the puddles scattered around it, the Beowolves guttural roar made the vigilante increasingly nervous. Readying himself he brought his body low to the ground, the battle staff held diagonally along his back, ready to strike.

"God you're way uglier up close!" He yelled as the spined Grimm swung a claw towards his head. Spinning his weapon in a wide arc, he timed the strike perfectly and sliced off the beasts arm while making a leap to the right. Splashing up water he quickly spun for another attack, this time jumping on the beast with both his feet, giving a swift kick to the face before doubling back and returning to his crouched stance. Letting out a cry equal to the beasts Cyprus realized that although they looked horrifying, intimidating and extremely dangerous, Beowolves were stupid. Deliberate and predictable in their actions, which allowed the hunter in training to mount another charge against it, and waiting for the moment it took another swipe, immediately ducked under the monster and sent the bladed end of his tool ploughing upwards through its jaw and through the skull.

"Well, that wasn't so bad." Cyprus chortled, pulling the blade out of its victim with a smooth swipe. A short while later the man made his way to a clearing, burnt trees and churned up mounts of dirt littered the area. Fighting a few groups of Beowolves on his way left him slightly fatigued, and wondering how far away he was from finishing the task, he reached for his communicator and called out for his friend, hoping she was nearby.

"Scylla? Scylla you there?" There was no reply for a few seconds, until a series of grunts and giggles were heard from the other side.

"Huh? Cyprus? Where are you!?" The voice on the other end cried, curious as to what was taking her companion so long to get where she was.

"Just found a load of burned out trees, no idea what the hell caused it though."

"Oh, that was me!"

Cyprus was at a loss for words, sure he could take on Grimm if he needed to, but this was a whole other level. Looking back to the path of destruction Scylla had apparently carved the vigilante felt a pang of envy, the most damage he could cause would be unnoticeable, but that was under very rare circumstances. Sighing he continued to march on, calling back his friend on the line.

"So, where are you?" He asked, looking around for any kind of directional sign as to his partners' location.

"Just keep heading north, past the explosion, you'll find me eventually."

' _Great. First outshined by my assistant, now I get to play wildlife tracker with her.'_ He thought to himself as he started jogging through the forest, more than eager to get out of the rain, more so than before seeing as the first waves of thunder started to come over his head, and the rain getting worse by the second.

"Hey Ozpin, you better have a Coffee for me when I get back up there!" He shouted in vain, knowing full well the Professor couldn't hear him, but shouting made the young man feel better anyway.

After another few minutes of walking, Cyprus finally found a clearing, and in the dead centre lay stone ruins. The ruins were large, covering around twenty meters in a large circle, and covered in collapsed and dilapidated stone pillars. The large structures lay covered in moss, and the grass from the field around it littering the cracks between the paved grounds, but there Cyprus noticed something else. Scylla sat, huddled under one of the collapsed carvings, with her legs brought tightly to her chest, and shivering.

"Hey!" Cyprus called out, waving his arm to the welcome sight. "You could have waited for me to catch up!"

Hearing her partner, the fiery redhead lifted her eyes, and gave what the man looking at her could only tell as a small grin, but even he could tell she was sick of the weather. Slowly standing up, she gave a welcoming wave of her own, and beckoned the vigilante to her. As he got closer, he noticed several black bodies lying on the ground, some sliced up into pieces and some with chunks blown out of them. Dozens of Beowolves and a few Ursas that had fallen victim to the woman's' wrath made Cyprus feel almost sorry for them. Almost.

"So, what's that?" He asked, pointing to the golden piece present in his friends' left hand.

"Oh! Yeah I'm guessing we have to grab at least one of these. There are some missing already so I have no idea if someone took them before we got here or not. I got a Bishop!" Scylla replied, proudly waving the chess piece around like a trophy. Upon closer inspection, the robed fighter confirmed that what she held was indeed a bishop, and only a few pieces lay upon the pedestals they were originally filled with.

"Alright, we're done here, signal Ozpin. I'm so freaking done with this weather." He groaned as another bolt of lightning struck in the distance, hoping nothing bad had happened to the pairs' guardian angels, he picked up a Pawn piece, nestling it safely in one of his pockets.

Scylla nodded and fired a crossbow bolt high into the air, which proceeded to explode in a flash of brilliant orange smoke. Unfortunately for the two, the signal also began to attract some unwanted attention, as deep, bellowing howls could be heard from all around the edges of the forest nearby. And readying their weapons, they saw pair after pair of bright, red eyes illuminate the shadows, and those eyes waited until another, much louder growl sent the hidden creatures into a charging frenzy. Heading straight for the couple standing unprepared in the centre of the area.


	8. Chapter 8: Shock and Awe

"You liiiiiike hiiiiim~!" Ruby sang, dancing teasingly around her older sister, who was barely managing to keep her cool and not throw her sibling out the side of the ship. Weiss and Blake already had their fun with the brawler and had taken seats together and huddled in an effort to keep warm, shivering in their large jackets as the plane dipped slightly to avoid as much of the lightning in the clouds as it could.

"I already told you, Ruby. He's not my type." Yang replied, rolling her eyes at the young girl who was making her increasingly aggravated. She moved her gaze out to the forestation below them, and towards the path of destruction that Cyprus had supposedly caused.

"Don't act like you didn't obsess over him! He's like, your most favourite person ever!"

Yang couldn't really disagree with that, the past few months she had spent searching for everything related to the man who had been helping the city she lived in, even sneaking out a few nights to find any trace of him herself. She took a seat and began twiddling her thumbs, unable to deny her obsession but now that she knew the man who she idolized, she began to have small regrets after realizing he was like any other fighter. Albeit more powerful than most, she thought, a small smile creeping up on her as she looked at the devastation he caused.

"Hey, look. I think they're ready." Blake spoke from inside her jacket, head popping up slightly to see the orange explosion in the sky, a signal to extract the pair from the ground below. The team was about to relay the sight to Ozpin who was sat, unmoving in his seat, and already signalling the pilot to send the ship towards the makeshift flare.

"Professor, I'm picking up several signatures in the area, I don't recommend landing." The pilot said, a slightly nervous tone in his voice as it crackled over the radio. The engines roaring as the craft picked up speed to get to the location of the students on the ground. The doors on the side began to open, much to the passengers' displeasure, and looking down the two fighters could be seen, surrounded by Grimm and covered in mud and rain. The puddles littering the ground caused them to become more drenched with each step, and the sheer amount of creatures attacking visibly took a toll. But from the birds-eye view of the ground, Yang noticed something that bothered her greatly.

Scylla fought hard, taking out creatures left and right, and switched between Trident and Crossbow constantly to get the biggest advantage over every enemy around her. Her swings and shots seemed effortless, as near countless Grimm fell to the dirt all around her, and pieces of their bodies littered the earth as they were chopped, stabbed and shot repeatedly. Cyprus however, had been doing a far less impressive job, the monsters around him taking several hits to take out, and were cutting and slashing at him with a much greater success rate, occasionally having his partner to sweep in and take off the heat.

"About damn time you got here!" Cyprus shouted, slicing the head off a Beowolf nearby before being dragged and thrown into one of the stone pillars by another, which proceeded to pounce and tear at his chest. The girls in the ship narrowed their eyes in confusion as the beast attacking the vigilante began to spasm as he placed a hand on its throat, the other still tightly gripping his battlestaff. And pushing the dark, spined creature off of him, sent the blade coursing through the plated skull of the monster, and as it proceeded to fall into the wet dirt, the spasms continued giving a morbid look to the demise of the Beowolf.

"Alright RWBY, give us some cover." Ozpin said, slowly rising to motion the pilot in the cockpit to bring the ship down. Hovering over the pillars, the members of the team jumped and fell to the conflict below, Ruby and Yang smashing into the ground with a crack, sending a group of the advancing beasts flying. The other two members gracefully swinging and bouncing off Glyphs to the ground, and all of them landing in a diamond formation around the beaten students.

"In the ship, now!" Weiss exclaimed to the pair, who quickly leaped to the descending craft.

"Guys get in this is gonna be awesome!" Cyprus called out to the group, who looked at him quizzically before clambering into the ship, firing at the Grimm which clawed and jumped to get closer to their way out of the forest.

"What are you doing?!" Scylla shouted, watching as Cyprus moved to the other side of the aircraft, and unloaded several of the charges from his staff into his hand, each one glowing and pulsating with electricity.

"Just don't touch me, nobody touch! Got it?" He replied, eyes concentrating on handling the several pieces of Taser ammunition between his fingertips. Taking a deep breath, he sapped the energy from the charges, the others watching in awe as he took another, final charge from a pouch inside his rob and held it in his hand, the others dropping to the ground and out of the ship with metallic clangs on the metal. Closing his eyes, the charge remaining in-between his fingertips lit up with a bright glow, illuminating the shuttles' passenger bay as electricity pulsed outwards and around his hand, causing those nearby to reel back slightly.

"How…?" Yang began, before being cut off but the vigilante in front of her.

"Just shut up and look, this is gonna be freakin' hilarious!" He laughed maniacally as he peered over the edge and threw the overcharged metallic shell over the edge, waiting until just before it hit the ground to yell out. Continuing to laugh as he did so, the entire group save Ozpin viewing the ground below.

As the charged cylinder touched the soaked ground, it lit up with a brilliant display of lightning as it electrified every ounce of water within almost a mile radius, as well as the dozens of remaining Grimm vainly clambering towards the rising ship. The beasts began to spasm and twitch with shock for several seconds, before falling to the ground almost completely lifeless, save for a few of their muscles which were still affected by the energy coursing through them. However the only sound the group could hear after the doors of the ship finally closed was the hysterical laughter of Cyprus, who was now clutching his stomach in agony at what he believed was the funniest event ever.

The rest of the cockpit either sighed or looked rather horrified at what he had done, save for the headmaster who stood silently in the corner, watching like a hawk.

"Wh- Oh come on that was good! You have to admit that was good, right?!" The vigilante shouted, slightly upset that nobody was laughing along with him. The only person who didn't give him any kind of unexpected reaction was Scylla, who stood with her head in her hands, groaning deeply at the idiocy of her friend. As he looked around the passenger bay, now illuminated by a single ceiling light along the roof, he noticed the other students were standing with their mouths agape. He noticed they did this a lot to him, are they that easily surprised?

"Did you just…?"

"I think he just…"

"How did you even…?"

"That was so **COOL**!" Ruby finally shouted, a wide, toothy smile on her face. It took Cyprus a second to realize they were actually talking about the feat he accomplished, and that was why they were even looking at him the way they did. Looking to his hand, which still glowed with the faintest of electricity before finally fading away, he stood back up and smiled, thinking he might as well explain.

"That…" He began, "Was my semblance."

The four in front of him now stood with tilted heads and furrowed brows, still in utter confusion over what he had done and said. The rain continued to pelt the hull of the ship as the silence overtook the room, and looking over to the corner, the hunter in training noticed Ozpin, standing with a small smirk now creeping on his mouth.

"Miss Rose has her speed…" Ozpin began, catching group off-guard. "Miss Schnee her glyphs, Belladonna her clones and Miss Xiao Long her fire. I would very much like it if you explained to us what yours is."

Cyprus let out a chuckle at this, looking to Scylla, he reached inside of his robe and picked out one of the electrified bolts and held it in his hand, the casing shining blue with energy. Closing his eyes for a second, the others watch as the probe began to dim ever so slightly, and the vigilante walked over to his friend.

"You see, my semblance…"

Scylla saw her friend walking over with his hand outstretched, and began to stammer.

"Oh no, don't you dare-"

 _Zap_

Laughing, Cyprus tapped his partner's cheek with a charged finger, the energy transferring and giving the young woman a shock that caused her to jump and growl at the cause of her discomfort.

"…Is Conductivity. I can basically take electricity from something, and transfer it. What you saw me do earlier, was take all the shots from inside my staff…" He continued, extending his weapon and showing the ammunition compartment for the built-in Taser. "And put them into a single, high voltage bolt. Pretty much making a homemade lightning strike." He finished, head held high and very proud of himself for that explanation.

Cyprus couldn't actually tell what the others were thinking after this, save for Ruby who was constantly asking a string of questions. Strangely enough none of them seem particularly bothered by the newly discovered power, he guessed it probably wasn't the strangest thing they'd ever seen anyway and shrugged it off.

"So electric shocks don't do anything to you?" She asked, excited at the opportunity of finding out everything she could.

"I feel a little tingly." Cyprus shrugged, "But other than that, nope!" He grinned towards his tiny interrogator, who proceeded to test-poke the man with a finger to test him.

"What about a power outlet?"

"Nope!"

"A toaster?"

"Nope!"

"Uhhhh…" She struggled to think of other things the vigilante could or couldn't handle, before snapping her fingers and smirking. "Lightning? That's electric!"

Cyprus took a few seconds to think about this, the sheer possibility of having the chance to do that was slim to none, but something made him always want to try, he remembered standing out in storms some nights as a child, holding his hand in the air to no avail. The nostalgia made him grin until Ruby's tugging at his sleeve brought him back to reality, realizing he still had an answer to give.

"No idea, never tried it!"

"Ohhhh, we should do it!" She cried, before a quick outburst from her older sibling kept her quiet.

"You are NOT going to try and get struck by lightning, it's too dangerous." Yang grumbled, folding her arms and tapping her foot on the cold steel hull of the ship.

The young man saw this as a perfect opportunity for more teasing, giving his redheaded friend on the other side of the ship a wink. Scylla simply growled once again at him, still not forgiving the man for the shock she received earlier.

"I'm flattered, blondie. I didn't think you cared about me that much!" The girl in question shot him a frighteningly intimidating look, causing Cyprus to almost regret the joke, but ended up laughing once he realized several of the other girls were all attempting to stifle a giggle. Yang simply grumbled at this as the ship finally landed back at the platform, the rain finally beginning to ease off when the doors of the aircraft opened. Stepping off, the pair of fighters let out a deep sigh as they found themselves on unmoving, clean ground.

Cyprus began to clutch his shoulder, finally taking note of the damage he had sustained while fighting. Scylla looked relatively fine, save for the dirt stuck to her gear and the few drops of Grimm blood. However he noticed his robe was ripped, torn and battle-weary. Much like himself. And the pain in his arm had come from his armour, broken and dented on the left side, digging into his flesh. Slowly removing the fighting equipment, he grunted as it was bundled up into a ball and clutched it at his side.

"Hey there anywhere I can clean up? I don't like the idea of going into battle in ruined clothing." The vigilante said, hunched with exhaustion.

"There's an armour cleaning and repair station on the other end of the school, I'll show you." Blake spoke up, much to the others' disbelief. The young huntress was quiet for a majority of the entire trip, and barely spoke to the pair, much less offered to escort them. Weiss made sure nothing strange went on and decided to go along, leaving the remainder of team RWBY to head back to their dorm. Before the group parted however, Cyprus spoke to the Professor standing just outside the ship.

"So, did we pass?"

Ozpin chuckled.

"This exercise is merely to test your strength in battle, and usually to form teams like the one assisting you today. However in your case, we have deemed it necessary to not assign you to a team or split you apart. At least for the time being." He stated, reaching for his scroll and walking towards the academy. "Welcome to Beacon, Mister Haze."

Shrugging, he followed for a while before splitting off with the two members of the aforementioned team and headed towards the buildings nearby.

* * *

The interior of the repair station building felt more like a blacksmiths forge than a cleaning area, metal tools were spread all around, with metal shavings and dust spread all over the floor. Cyprus assumed they wouldn't bother cleaning the building up much due to what goes on, or that they might have come on a bad day, where the cleaners went on strike, or something.

"Well then! Here's some new faces, welcome, welcome!" A voice yelled from the other side of the room, from behind a huge piece of machinery sat a man. Large build with his back hunched over a table, looking like a giant in the tiny stool that he was sat on, standing up Cyprus felt almost intimidated by the humongous figure, which was thankfully thrown away once the man stood up.

"Uh, Hi. We have some equipment that needs fixing up." The young man stammered, showing the robes to the blacksmith.

"Of course of course! Set them on the table over there and I'll have them fixed by morning!" He gave a hearty laugh at this, although the group couldn't really find what was funny. Cyprus liked this guy, he seemed like a very friendly character. The dirt on his face, the huge white beard and safety goggles making up most of his notable features, save for the very plump body type.

"Oh, great! Thanks!" Setting the equipment down on the table, he began to hastily jog back out of the room, when he was stopped by Blake, who grabbed him by the collar and sent him slipping onto his back on the cold, dusty floor. "Yeah, ow? Thanks for that."

"We need to talk. Both of you." She remarked, before heading off into the other end of the room, thankfully where the large man could return to his work and not be within earshot. Cyprus however groaned at this, looking to his partner.

"Why is it when women say that I always end up getting slapped?" Cyprus asked, before being met with a swift hand to the face from his fiery friend.

"Mostly because you say something dumb, like that." She replied, smirking as she made her way to the back of the building.

The vigilante sighed deeply as he joined the three girls waiting for him, the smell of metal and smoke filled the air around them and made him feel uneasy. Weiss and Blake stood with arms folded, although the looks on their faces seemed like they were ready to ask for something, rather than begin an interrogation as he first thought.

"So? What's up?" He asked, unsure of what else to say in this particular situation. He didn't want to risk going on bad terms with the friends he had just met, after all.

"We just want to ask a few things. Like, why despite not being hunters, you're able to fight like that." Blake said, her voice quiet and calming. "Well, mainly you, Scylla."

Cyprus felt his pride take a hit from that, even though he knew for a fact that his partner was much better at combat than he was, despite her nature of staying inside staring at screens all day. Remembering how they met, the young man shuffled nervously in his spot, not particularly eager to retell the story. Not for the sake of finding out who he truly was, anybody could find out his history if they looked his name up online, it was more the fact that it was a fairly uncomfortable memory to think about.

"Can we just talk about this back at the dorm? I feel like it'd be easier to tell everyone that way."

The two girls turned to each other, unsure as to why Cyprus would want to tell more people about his past, but ultimately decided to play along. Heading back to the dorms, Weiss decided to ask some less personal questions.

"So what's your semblance? Since your friend made such an effort to show off his." The heiress asked Scylla, nudging her head to the man behind her, who was attempting to make small talk with the other member of team RWBY, and failing. Smiling, the older student was more than happy to answer.

"Well, I have time perception, a little weird I know but it helps in fast paced fights." She said, proudly, giving the girl beside her a friendly grin before continuing. "Basically, I can see things in slow motion, but it means I move in slow motion too. So I have more time to react and think, but the usual amount of time to act. I know it's a little hard to under-"

"No, no! I get it. That's actually pretty impressive." A rare moment of admiration came from Weiss, who nodded to signal her understanding to the girl beside her, who returned the smile after a brief pause.

* * *

An hour or so later the group once again returned to the new students' dorm room after a quick shower and change, now in much more comfortable clothing. Cyprus was lying down on his bed, fiddling with one of his shock bolts in the palm of his hand, watching as the energy flowed back and forth through him.

Scylla on the other hand was sat staring at the screens, as per usual. Observing the many recordings of activity in the street in fast-forward, each one occasionally pausing or slowing down with a green light signalling every time someone or something moved in the view of the camera.

"You know I still can't wrap my head around that, looking at all those screens." Yang asked, taking a set on the couch behind her.

"A lot of practice and lots of coffee." The hacker replied, grinning slightly but not taking her eyes of the monitors in front of her for a second. "You guys said you wanted to talk to us anyway, so what's up?" She continued, finally pressing a few of the keys on her desk and letting a majority of the screens fade to black, leaving just the dull light from the clouded sky to fill the room.

"We want to know you." Blake said from the back of the room, legs crossed on one of the beds.

"Know us?"

"Yeah. How you met, how you started all…This." She waved her hand around all the many pieces of equipment in the room.

"Oh, well that..."

Scylla took a long pause, looking over to her friend, who seemed to perk up at the question asked, and placed the bolts in his hand on a nearby table. He gave her a small nod before allowing her to continue, an empathetic smile on his face.

"…Is a long story."


	9. Chapter 9: The Orphan and the Thief

The sun blazed a burning heat across the landscape, a heat which became most evident to Cyprus as he stepped out of the car and into the small mountain town around him, a welcome change from the dreary towns and boardroom meetings of the past few days. Immediately after stepping onto the gravel pathway, he felt the need to loosen the tie around his neck, and remove his suit jacket. Placing a pair of sunglasses on his face, he moved to the back of the car and removed his luggage, grunting as he lifted the single black case, which fell on the ground with a thud.

"Are you sure you want to do this sir?" A man asked, leaning out of the window of the driver's seat of the car, a chauffers' hat nudged slightly to the right as his head tilted. A bushy moustache covering his top lip, giving him a welcoming look.

"I made my choice, no turning back now. I figured it's time I do something for myself this time, buddy." Cyprus didn't make eye contact to the driver, instead turning to the road leading to the series of buildings in front of him. A holiday would do him some good, thanks to the inheritance he could more than afford it, but he was never really the business type, or really the type to sit still for very long.

Some people might wonder what an eighteen year old might be doing alone in such a place, but he believed he could take care of himself, especially with what combat training he had. Making his way through the streets he looked at the signs, a few advertisements for hotels and some big brand food stores, but one sign stood out to him. A large, yellow triangle, with a Silhouette of a Beowolf in the dead centre, a clear warning to any thinking of venturing beyond the safety of the township. The out-of-the-way towns around Vale always had some problem or another regarding the creatures, thankfully that was what Hunters and Huntresses were for.

"Glorified guard duty bee-ess." The boy muttered as he dragged his suitcase along the street, finally making it past two armoured guards that stood at the entrance to the main area of the town. Cyprus never really wanted to be a hunter, there was hardly a shortage, feeling he could do better on his own, he dropped out of Signal Academy just weeks before his graduation. Part of him wanted to just go against whatever people wanted him to be, that typical kind of teenage rebellious stage that just happened to stick with him for longer than most people.

"Hello, welcome to Ronchi!" A friendly, feminine voice called out, causing him to jump.

"Gah! Oh, Hello." Cyprus stammered, turning to see a young woman in a long, cream coloured dress. Her toothy smile forcing the boy to give a grin of his own, despite the recent events.

"We're always happy to see new arrivals, are you here on business?"

"Oh uh, no. Just on a break actually." He began to walk further into town, but was caught off guard as the woman began walking beside him, bringing out a pack of pamphlets from her handbag.

"Well there's plenty of stuff to see here, you need anything let me know. I'll be here!" She chimed, before turning back to the entrance, leaving him to check the sheet now in his hand. Scanning the document while he walked, he saw one store on the small map that piqued his interest.

"Varun electronics, huh?" The former student was confused, why would anybody want to set up a tech store in this town? As far as he could tell the most advanced piece of technology he could see were the one or two men nearby holding scrolls, tapping on their screens with the slowest of movements, clearly not well versed in using the devices. As he walked down the street to the nearest hotel, Cyprus thought to himself, recalling the events that led up to his current position.

Being brought up as the son of a pair of CEO's was a rather dull childhood for him, the Haze Dust Company was the world's second largest producer and distributor of the material, second only to the infamous Schnee Family. His parents were good people, they never forced Cyprus into becoming a businessman like them, but they made him do something with himself, and gave him the best combat training and schooling money could buy.

But he never wanted it. The only reason he took the classes and took the training was ensure that he wouldn't be bugged for never doing anything with himself, even at a young age he knew there was no shortage of hunters protecting the people, and never wanted to bother with becoming another of something that wasn't necessarily needed as much as it was many years ago.

Around two years prior, the parents sold the entire company to Schnee, who was vastly overtaking and would have practically put Haze out of business, at least that's what they said. Cyprus didn't like to involve himself in the corporate world, and constant talking of stocks and deals bored him greatly. Thankfully, this meant a huge payout to his family, with the former owners settling down in the countryside for a year or so, isolated from the towns and cities. Unfortunately for them, that meant no protection, and that meant Grimm attacks, when the news came to Cyprus he could vaguely remember his own reaction, but he knew it led him here. Taking the inheritance from his parents and practically set for life, the young man decided to get away from it all, leaving the company's legacy, and the family name behind.

A short while later, Cyprus arrived at the tech store, the leaves gently falling from the trees making crunching footsteps as the people walked over them. The suns' heat becoming less intense as it began to drift out of view, creating a deep orange glow through the streets, and hoping it wasn't closed yet, the young man took a step through the unlocked storefront.

"Hello? You guys still open?" He said, making sure he didn't bump his head on the wiring hanging from the frame of the doorway.

"What the? Oh, yes! Hello!" A voice shouted from somewhere in the back of the room. Looking around, Cyprus noticed the place was filthy, a thick layer of dust covered most of the unused electrical components and spider webs clung to each corner as if the place had been completely abandoned. His attention was brought back up when he noticed the owner of the voice was still nowhere to be seen, and walking around to the back room he peeked inside through the beaded curtain.

"Come on! Stupid firewall…" The voice grumbled, silhouetted by what Cyprus saw as a cluster of screen plastered on the back wall, showing a flurry of information that was too much for him to comprehend. Focusing on a single screen, he noticed it showed the symbol for the Vale bank, and several key presses made it impossible for the onlooker to follow.

"What the hell?" He slipped, baffled at the amount of things going on in the small space. The girl turned, shining blue eyes wide open in shock. Stammering, she quickly switched off all the screens, leaving the two alone in the dark room. He noticed the girl looked just younger than him, maybe around fifteen or sixteen, but what she was doing clearly showed her to have the intelligence of someone much, much older. Her red hair was frayed in a messy pile on her head.

"Gah! Get out get out get out get out get out!" She screamed, covering herself despite wearing an oversized t-shirt and a pair of black pyjama pants.

"Wait what was that?!" Cyprus grunted, trying to get another look at the mess of computers in the other room.

"Nothing! Now leave, you have to-"

"It's amazing."

The girl suddenly stopped, though her hands were still firmly pressed against the young mans' back. She seemed dumbfounded by his reaction, expecting him to come back within minutes with the police after leaving. But after a few more seconds on looking at him, a curious smile on his face, she decided to lower her hands and place them at her side, shuffling her feet on the ground anxiously. Cyprus made his way into the back room, hoping to get another look at the intriguing setup, turning to the young girl quickly before walking through the beads.

"How did you do all this?" He asked, to which the girl made sure the door was locked before responding, her back held to it tightly and her head tilted downwards.

"You a cop?"

"Do I even look old enough to be a cop?"

"You're wearing a suit."

"Fair point." Taking out his Identification card from his pocket, the young man handed it to her. Holding it close to her eyes, she raised a brow after her realization of the name.

"Haze? Like the company?"

"Yeah, they're…" He paused briefly, "Were, my parents."

The girl took a breath, she never even knew the owners had a son, the news reports barely touched the family's connections. As far as she knew, there were just the founders, and even though they kept to themselves the journalists would at least look for the son to get his input, but she decided to shrug it off and hand the card back to the figure in front of her.

"I have a lot of free time, and a lot of free money."

Cyprus gave her a confused look, he didn't believe there was such a thing as 'free money', even his parents made him work for his allowance as a kid. His thoughts were torn away when the girl grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him back into the room, pointing to one of the screens excitedly.

"I grew up learning everything there is to know about computers, I can hack nearly any system I want." She said, proudly. Her head tilted high up causing the young man to chuckle, to which she pouted and switched on several more screens while tapping away at her keyboard. Within seconds one of the screens displayed dozens of lines of code, which soon changed to a screen with the Vale Bank symbol. The same screen he caught her on before.

"If you're such a good hacker, why are you working here?" He asked, his eyes wandering around to the dusty machinery scattered on the floor, a complete contrast to the clean, well-kept room he was standing in now.

"It's just a cover up, I mean have you seen the people in this town? They couldn't tell a computer from a sandwich toaster." The young girl laughed, tying her hair into a quick bun as she did so. "I give myself a lot of free time, time to learn to fight, learn new tech and about all kinds of things." She continued, bringing up several of the monitors that switched on with a soft beep, slowly illuminating the room.

"How do you afford it? And you learn to fight from just the net?" Cyprus asked, to which the girl laughed once again, and turned back to her screen. Pressing a few keys, a series of lines filled with incomprehensible code flushed the screen before coming to a sudden stop, with a single blinking light at the bottom of it.

"I take what I need from governments, banks, the extra cash nobody will notice is gone. And don't be stupid, I go out with the hunters that work around here sometimes, they've shown me a few things."

The young man shrugged, what she did with her time was not really any concern of his, even if it was very impressive.

"So why are you here, anyway?" The girl questioned after a few moments of silence, to be honest Cyprus was amazed it took her as long as it did to come to this part of the conversation. Giving another shrug, he replied briefly.

"Just taking a break."

"And you chose here? Why?"

"I picked the place with the best weather and the prettiest girls."

The girl in front of him stammered, a deep blush creeping on her cheeks as she messed with her hands on her stomach.

"Just fuckin with ya, I picked a quietest place I could find." Cyprus laughed, watching in delight as the girl began to pout and fold her arms. Swivelling her chair back to the many screens on the wall she regained her composure, laughing along with the person behind her.

"Yeah you keep telling yourself that, we both know the reason is because of girls like me." Resisting the urge to wink at him, she kept her eyes firmly on the computers as he began to walk out, the beads of the curtain rattling softly as he passed through them.

"See you around…What was your name?" He asked, poking his head quickly back through the doorframe.

"Scylla." She replied, eyes not leaving the screen for a moment.

"Right, see you around, Scylla."

* * *

The next few days in the town were spent rather quietly for the young man, either spent relaxing in his hotel or the safe areas of the forest, watching the few Hunters and Huntresses protecting the area pass by on their regular patrols. He decided against making conversation with them though, assuming the trained fighters had better things to do than worry themselves with the skinny man reading a book against a tree. Although he had to admit he enjoyed the quiet, a welcome change to the busy noise of the cities and industrial areas he usually spent his time when away from home.

The people in the town seemed oddly calm for the amount of Grimm that stalked the forested areas nearby, maybe the Hunters did their job so well it kept the people there oblivious to the beasts covering the lands. Cyprus also took time to check on his new friend a couple of times, once seeing her returning from a patrol with a group of the guardians, sadly never getting the chance to see her actually fight. But judging by the fact she was allowed out with them to begin with he assumed she could handle herself pretty well, and the weapon she handled confirmed it, spending an hour showing him her trident, and how it switched elegantly and silently into its crossbow form and back again.

" _Maybe I shouldn't leave, it's not like I have much else back home."_ He thought, but quickly shook off the preposterous thought. Even he thought it was crazy to move somewhere just because he made a new friend, a new friend who probably thinks of him as a nuisance no doubt. Deciding to wait until he actually let things calm down after his parents' death, he went back to his hotel room as the sun set, the specks of light shimmering through the branches slowly dissipating and creating a dark blanket of shadow on the leafy ground below.

The final night before leaving the town was spent packing his things, the several clothes strung across the room, he felt no need to really keep things tidy until he decided to leave. He had paid extra for one of the better rooms in the small hotel, of course. He was finally about to strip out of his clothes and climb into bed when he heard a scream.

A scream followed by dust explosions and a mighty roar.

His eyes opening widely, he charged downstairs along with all the other patrons, barging through the wooden door to the streets. Stumbling out to the main road, he saw in the distance a huge figure, a body dark as night and covered in white plating filled with red markings.

"Run! Goliath!" A voice shouted, before a series of more dust explosions and gunfire could be heard from the corner, as well as more screams.

Cyprus at the time couldn't comprehend the reason he did what he chose to do that night, perhaps it was because she was the only friend he had made a while, or because she was nice to him, but to him nothing else that night mattered. Charging through the streets he made his way to Scylla's tech store, hoping that she would still be there and not fighting the colossal creature that had somehow made its way to the town.

He saw that the lights had suddenly flicked on inside the building, and bending his knees, prepared to charge the door down. Unfortunately for him, the girl in the store had the same idea, and despite his age, he was still weaker than the battle-hardened girl and their joint attempt resulted in him being flattened under both her weight and the doors'.

"Ow."

"Crap, Cyprus you okay!?" She exclaimed, hastily climbing off her new friend and lifting the wooden barrier off of him.

"We have to go, now!" The girl shook her head forcefully as the young man attempted to grab her arm.

"No, I have to help the hunters! Let go!" She cried, looking towards the gargantuan creature that was powering its' way through the town, buildings around it falling to rubble as civilians made their hasty escape through the remaining pathways. Fear striking the two as the Goliath made its way around the next corner, the burning orange eyes looking right at the two stood still as the hunters attempted to bring it down to no avail. Tiny cuts and marks were present on the monsters' body, its large, cylindrical legs seemingly unaffected by the damage they were taking as they charged along.

"You two, get out of here!" One of the hunters cried out, swinging a large battle-axe into the beast before letting flames shoot from the top into one of the legs.

"But I can help!"

"Now, Scylla! You, kid! Get her out safe!" He shouted, his body taking a swift beating as the beast shook its head, one of its bony tusks smashing the guardian into one of the crushed buildings behind him. And the young hacker let out a scream upon seeing this, her body unable to make any movements aside from being pulled towards the exit of the town by her new companion. Less than a minute later, though to the pair it felt like much longer, they arrived at the emergency vehicles which had shown up once word of the attack arrived. A few small airships managed to squeeze through the tree line and the rest of the cars lay lined up in an orderly fashion, despite the panic ensuing.

"Inside, now!"

"But I can still help!" The second Scylla said that, another explosion followed by a scream filled the air, and looking up the two could see one of the huntresses smashed out of the towns' borders and into the forest, her bodily flailing in a vain attempt to steady herself before she hit the ground. Pushing her into the car, Cyprus noticed the beast wound another corner, and behind it Scylla's store lay in ruin, crushed by the creature's unstoppable wrath.

"You don't need to, look." He said, calmly shutting the door and pointing out to the sky, from the window of the car, the girl could see several ships, each with several figures hanging from the side bays. Their armour casting a rainbow of colours in the sky, illuminated by the lights of the ship.

More hunters.

As the evacuation vehicles left for a safer area, Scylla realized that her entire livelihood was gone. Her home, her network, everything but the clothes she was wearing, were gone. Beginning to break down she felt a hand place itself on her shoulder, and saw Cyprus giving an empathetic smile.

"Don't worry, I've enough to get you back on your feet and then some. You'll be fine."

Scylla said nothing, instead choosing to rest a head on Cyprus's shoulder, the exhausting yet swift series of events left her completely drained of energy. Completely unable to even think of a worthwhile response, she chose to close her eyes and let sleep take over, only hoping he would be true to his word.


	10. Chapter 10: Learning Curve

"…And so I let her stay with me and get back all the stuff she lost, and we just kinda became inseparable from there." Cyprus said, his long explanation of the pairs' rather dramatic meeting coming to a close. Over the course of the tale the group had ended up huddled around the couch in a way similar to children gathering around an elderly man telling old war stories. Thankfully Scylla seemed satisfied with the retelling, giggling as she noticed Ruby had bundled herself in one of the quilts from the beds and was laying on the floor, smiling in her acquisition of the comfortable spot she was now in.

"I remember that Goliath attack, it was all over the news!" Yang exclaimed, her memory vaguely bringing herself back to the day after the attack, headlines reaching every newspaper and news screen she saw. Two years ago the astonishing Grimm attack came seemingly out of nowhere, with the Hunters only able to drive the beast away after at least three more groups joined the fray, the town itself never recovering and its citizens having to relocate to a safer town.

"So, you just decided to stay together? Some guy you barely knew?" Weiss exclaimed, surprised Scylla didn't part from a man she just met.

"Hey, standing right here you know?" Cyprus said, waving his arm lazily in the air.

"Well, he gave me an apartment, a place to stay, and everything you see here. I figured it was best to stick with him, at least for a while." She turned to see the man in question, who was currently too preoccupied with scratching a freckle on his arm to take notice of her smiling. "Besides, once he decided to become his own private law enforcement I figured I'd best stop him from getting killed."

"Sure, that's only reason you stay with him." Yang joked, causing giggles to spread through the other team members, and leaving the redhead quite irritated.

"Very funny, but you aren't the only one who type isanyone but him." She interjected, crossing her arms and holding her head proudly, this time leaving the brawler to laugh heartily and continue to tease the vigilante.

"Still standing right here, just in case anyone was wondering…"

"Yeah, way too skinny." Yang replied

"And overconfident."

"And he can't really fight."

"You guys suck." Cyprus finally piped up after a few more back and forth insults, his body now laying limp over the couch, and his head on the ground as he began slithering back to his bed in an attempt to evade the cruel verbal attacks of the women in the room.

"You stole money!?" Weiss exclaimed, still shocked at Scylla's way of getting the pair's income.

"Only the stuff people won't miss! You know, a couple of bucks from rich guys, and enough to keep our heads above water." She replied, her eyes glassy with a childlike innocence about them. The heiress tried to keep feeling like the authority figure in the room but the display of puppy eyes from the girl next to her made her smile uncontrollably.

"But you don't steal anymore, right?" She asked, hoping the thief would have at least some kind of honour left after so many years of taking straight from the wallets of the country.

"Relax, Princess. Cyprus pays for the bills, the equipment, everything we need. But if I have something personal I want, I'll put my skills to practice." Giggling nervously at how serious she was being at what she saw as no big deal. Folding her arms and with an uptight 'hmph', she looked away from her friend, though still giving the slightest hint of a smile at her sense of humour.

The rest of the afternoon continued much in this fashion, questions of the story of the pairs meeting, Cyprus and Scylla taking turns answering, albeit the former giving much less serious answers. The pair explained that with no job that suited them, they decided to try making the City safer after seeing an ignorant group of Policemen left a group of thugs to steal the money from an innocent in an alley. The Police in Vale weren't incompetent or useless at any rate, but they were too slow to react to most of the crimes, and were usually left to simply pick up pieces in the aftermath.

"Well, we should probably get back to our dorm, we have some work to finish off before tomorrow." Ruby finally spoke up, wriggling her way out of the blanket she had cocooned herself in.

"Alright, later." Replied Cyprus, now fully relaxed on the bed, hands held behind his head.

As soon as the group left silence filled the room, the pair now alone to return to their thoughts. Scylla now occupying herself with the security feed on her screens, scanning for any serious activity with eagle-like attention. Whereas Cyprus was now checking out another message tone from his Scroll, and after opening it the young man sat up at the peculiar words plastered on the grey device.

 _Mr. Haze_

 _Here is your class roster for the following weeks, also I have organized a small transport to take you to and from the City whenever you please. If you come up with an emergency in the city, please do not prioritize classes unless you deem it necessary to ignore the events. We hope to see you and your companion in class._

 _-Professor Ozpin_

The vigilante audibly groaned at the mere mention of class, remembering how dull his school days were with the exception of combat training. He left as soon as he found out he would be doing the same thing at Beacon, albeit with a few Grimm mixed in, much to his parent's disappointment. Instead choosing to take Private combat lessons until he was seventeen, ceasing the activity just after his parent's death and his following introduction to his soon-to-be partner in crime.

"Let me guess, classes?" Scylla asked from across the room, eye studying her own Scroll that had received the same message moments later.

"Yeah…"

"Oh no!" The hacker rolled her eyes, "Dust forbid you actually learn something!"

"I know right?! I can't believe they're making me..."A dead silence filled the room as a switch flipped in Cyprus's brain, furrowing his brow he pouted at his companion. "Shut up." The pair both began to laugh, the calming atmosphere brought on after the first test letting them know they were off to a good start. Already making a few new friends, even if they were a little young to Cyprus, he was happy the way things were going, even if he had no idea what was truly in store.

* * *

"So, what do you guys think?" Ruby asked, her feet making dull thumps as the group made their way back to the dorm, skipping happily the girl looked to each of her fellow team members, awaiting an answer. The three other members each took a few seconds to even think of a reply, wondering if the first impressions made on them by the new arrivals were decent or not, Weiss especially having to think it over after her less than stellar thoughts on her own team a few days ago.

"Well…"

"He's…"

"Kinda…"

The three stopped dead for a few moments, leaving Ruby to cock her head slightly, confused at each of their lack of a proper response. Finally reaching the doorway to their room, the heiress finally spoke up to get rid of the silence plaguing the hallway.

"Scylla's pretty nice! Even if she is a criminal."

"Oh lighten up, snowflake, at least she hardly does it anymore!" Yang exclaimed, quick to come to the defence her newfound friend. "Also she only took from the snobby business men like…" The brawler stopped suddenly when she realized just who she was talking to.

"Oh, right. Sorry."

Weiss sighed deeply and closed her eyes, making her best effort to brush off the activity she had found out the new student made a hobby out of. "It's alright, not like I can stop her anyway." And with her arms held lightly behind her back, she was the first to step into the room and begin relaxing on her bed, still not exactly used to the new bunk setup the team leader was so eager to put together. After climbing on the top bed, which was strung up messily with rope and an assortment of bedsheets to keep it from falling, Ruby brought up the question she previously asked.

"What about Cyprus?" She asked, head poking from the side of the bed so she could see all of her team.

"Ask your sister, I saw her giving him bedroom eyes." Blake said, a cheeky grin on her face as she picked up a book with a suspiciously blank cover, as if pasted on to cover the true title.

"What are bedroom eyes?" Ruby replied, still as innocent as ever in her actions.

"I told you, he's not my type!" Yang shouted, throwing a pillow at the teasing comrade in the room. "Besides, he's probably got something going on with Scylla, I mean they have lived together for two years right?" Deciding she had enough of the topic, the young woman reached for her Scroll and began observing the recent news reports, the device tilted out of the view of the others who would no doubt ridicule her further for looking up information on the man she had already become friends with.

The rest of the evening was spent in much more of a lazy fashion for both groups, Scylla continued to go over the recordings and search for any kind of criminal activity, such had become her life in the past few months but she didn't care. Cyprus kept her fed, sheltered and clothed, never asking for anything in return other than to put up with his constantly rising ego. Especially since the young knight the two met the previous day came to the door, knees shaking with nerves as he asked for an autograph from the vigilante. Cyprus shared a laugh with Jaune at the situation, but was ultimately the one left with the grin after one of the girls in the team came by and dragged him away by the ear. As sunset came the two were exhausted, but Scylla had one more task for her friend.

"Alright, just put these all around the school, somewhere inconspicuous."

"Yeah yeah I hear you, why do we even need to monitor the school anyway?" He asked, questioning the motives behind spreading their network to a combat school, easily one of the most secure places in the world in terms of safety.

"Because we have to be sure it's safe, now quit whining and go, and don't get caught!" The hacker exclaimed, pushing Cyprus out the doorway and into the chilly hallway. Deciding now would be a good excuse to collect his repaired equipment, he made his way out of the building, placing a few cameras on the corner or underneath low balconies of buildings as he did so. The ground was still wet from the passing thunderstorm that had occurred during their initiation, so much that the young man had to take care on each of his steps so he wouldn't slip and fall.

Passing by the other students returning from the City, he received a few strange looks from them, most likely due to his unfamiliar appearance, most students being well acquainted with each other by the time he showed up. Thankfully the kids who did give Cyprus a passing glance shrugged off their concerns and went about their business, allowing him to set up his cameras in peace. Finally switching on the last camera, which needed to be placed at the top of a nearby flagpole, much to the young man's irritation, he finally arrived at the repair station, the smell of burning metal and machinery filling his nostrils once again.

"Uh, hello?" He said, tapping lightly on a nearby wall to gain the attention of whoever might be in the room.

"Ah! Hello my friend, your robes are all fixed up, good as new!" The familiar face exclaimed from behind a series of tables, his bushy beard giving him a very welcoming aura, despite his size. Happy to hear the news, Cyprus made his way through the mess of tools that littered the ground, seeing what looked like his robe neatly folded on a table.

"Oh, thanks!"

"And while you're here I should let you know I got rid of those awful arm pieces. You'll find your new vambraces and pauldrons next to the rest of your stuff."

Cyprus was about to burst out, outraged that someone had so casually messed with his equipment. However taking a look at the new combat gear he let out a confused chuckle as he gave it a test run. The large robe was now replaces by a much more slimming body vest, with a leather lining over the chest for some much needed protection. The arms that were once home to dangly sleeves with shining metal plates covering them were now tossed aside to make room for much lighter armour pieces, covering his shoulders and wrists leaving his elbow completely uncovered.

"You might think it's silly, but this will also throw off any of the students from thinking you're that vigilante who's running around."

"You…?"

"Oh all the teachers know, don't worry. Our lips are sealed!" Giving a hearty laugh, he gave the new student a part of the back that almost knocked the wind out of young man and moved back to his seat, flicking his welding goggles as he turned around.

Giving a small groan, Cyprus left the building, unsure whether to be happy or not at the change to his equipment. Assuming it would be for the best in the long run, he made his way back to the dorm room, ready for a good night's sleep. The recent events more than taking their toll on him, and as he got back to the dorm he realized that he wasn't nearly as strong as he thought he was. Recalling the fight against the Grimm earlier today, he saw Scylla tearing through the beasts when he struggled with one, time and time again she came to his aid. He was so used to fighting other people he never had to worry about the beasts that threatened the land, yet at the same time something nagged at him, the feeling that if he ever did fight them he would be defenceless. And knowing how strong they were, wondered how there aren't regular attacks on cities and towns, the hunters to him now seemed like infinitely more capable fighters. Shaking off the doubt he trudged through the dull school grounds back to the dormitory, fumbling with the key between the mess of clothing in his arms he finally managed to open the door.

Night finally fell over the landscape as Cyprus entered his room. Looking around he ducked to see his friend, half covered by wiring and her desk which obscured her view from anything above her.

"Finally back? I checked each camera when you put them up so I just have to make sure they keep working." She said, voice partially muffled by the small screwdriver present in her mouth as her hands worked a series of panels and ports. Sensing a perfect opportunity to surprise his companion, he hastily equipped the refurbished robe, most of its material remained the same, save for the lack of sleeves, and to his surprise the new plates on his arms felt much lighter than before, as if only the smallest amount of metal covered his wrists and shoulders. Fastening the leather straps to secure the new vambraces, he left his arms to hang wide as Scylla rose from underneath her seat.

"Surprise!"

A look of shock was on the young woman's face for all of a half a second, before an uninterested expression quickly took over, leaving her to shrug at the new outfit placed on the vigilante before her.

"Meh, at least you don't look any worse." She chuckled, watching as Cyprus pouted and folded his arms like a child who didn't get his own way. Although she did quite enjoy the new look, it seemed much more stylish, and like it would be much more efficient in combat compared to the previous, homemade rags he had put together. Though she couldn't resist bursting his bubble more, Scylla moved to a nearby set of drawers and grabbed the new set of clothing, tossing it at her partner.

"What is-….No." He began, sheer horror ceasing all movement or expression in his body.

"Relax, it's not that bad."

"No!" eyes slowly scanning each disgusting part of what was in his hands.

"I bet you'll look handsome!" Scylla chimed, barely stifling the laughter that was quickly building up inside her.

With a final cry of defiance, Cyprus fell to his knees in defeat, twitching before the terrible sight and dreading the events of which to come.

"I hate uniforms."

* * *

"I can't believe her." Weiss grunted, angrily scribbling notes into one of her textbooks, unable to get rid of the nagging thought of being friends with a criminal such as her. Looking up she saw her leader poking her head over the side of the top bunk, deep red hair dangling over the wooden frame. The small frown lessened slightly at the innocent sight of the young huntress gazing with her soulful, silver eyes.

"I think she's funny!" Ruby squeaked, mindful to keep her voice down for the other two team members on the other side of the room, both occupied with their own pages worth of writing. Strangely enough the three noticed Blake had a constantly flushed face when the books she kept hidden in her bag were read, firmly keeping it close to her face to hide the contents from any of her friends.

"Sure, but she's a thief! She stole from my families' company!" The heiress cried, her arms sprayed out in defiance of allowing a friendship to form between her and Scylla.

"Did they ever report any losses in the company?" Yang suddenly spoke up, flatly, her eyes still glued to her scroll.

"Well, no." Weiss began, now fumbling with her hands. "But it's still against the law! And that was **our** money!" She continued, poking her chest with an index finger. Yang raised a brow to her teammate before setting the scroll on the side of her bed.

"Your family could afford the entirety of the second largest dust manufacturer! Who cares if a couple of hundred go missing?" Weiss stopped instantly. That was true, her family was among one of the richest on the planet, and even as a child she remembered getting whatever she wanted. Clothes, toys, books, anything she desired she received. Grunting, she returned to her work and folded one arm over stomach, tired of constant arguments. Despite her nature, she thought to herself that she might as well give her a chance, maybe they had something in common, but time would tell if the pair actually got along.

"Do you guys think Ozpin let them in for a reason?" The team leader spoke up again, still in the same comically adorable position.

"It's Ozpin, doesn't he always have a reason?" Blake spoke, head lifted slightly from her novel to respond. The rest of the group shrugged in agreement and went back to each of their business, Ruby returning to the pages splayed out on her sheets, rustling the papers to find her place again.

"He was totally looking at you, Yang." Ruby said, cheekily grinning at her sister, who began to roll her eyes in irritation at the constant teasing the group had given her for the apparent attraction Cyprus held towards her.

"I don't care if he was following me around like a puppy, he's not my type!" The brawler exclaimed, turning her face away from her companions and stuffing it into her pillow. Ironically, her scroll was still turned on, and showed a recent picture of a blurred vigilante, another recent news article discussing his activities and identity.

"Come on! He's confident, friendly, and jokes a lot! You make jokes!"

"The difference is my jokes are good." Yang replied, a sly grin on her face.

Burn.


	11. Chapter 11: First Lessons

"Hey they couldn't have gotten us a bigger ship?" Cyprus moaned to his companion on the other side of the communicator, cramped in the single seated craft given to him by the headmaster. The young man had been in a bad mood ever since his rest had been interrupted, a flashing on the monitor had awoken them as one of the many cameras picked up movement. Scylla was the first to attention, lighting up the screen and analysing in her seat before the vigilante had even gotten out of his bed, and after a few key presses the source of the disturbance was found. A group of hooded individuals were making their way towards the main street, bats and knives held clearly in sight.

"Stupid cameras and stupid crime and stupid…."

"Quit whining. Now land on the roof, they're almost out of the alleyways." The hacker called from the other end of the device, a slight static muffling her voice and the whirr of the transport making Cyprus hold one of his ears so that he could hear her. As he piloted the ship towards one of the nearby rooftops, he thanked Scylla in his mind for her decision to move the personal vehicle to just outside the student building saved them at least an extra few minutes of time for them to get to the city.

"Hey this thing is really fast, and I'm not even sure how to land it properly." Cyprus said, worryingly. The speed of the small craft getting him to the city in under a minute, much faster than the public transport he used to get to most places in Vale. And he had to admit he felt a little sick with the sheer force behind the engines.

"Just slow down and lower it, not that hard genius." Scylla replied, sick of her partner's constant whining.

"You know you don't have to be a b-"The vigilante stopped as soon as he saw what was below him, the same group that was seen earlier heading towards a small convenience store, easy picking for thugs and those seeking to get a quick bit of cash through intimidation tactics. Rocking from side to side he finally landed on a nearby rooftop, jolting in his seat as the small helicopter-like craft eased its engines and stopped with a jolt.

"If you want me to unlock the door when you get back you better watch your language." Scylla giggled from the heated dorm room, a blanket wrapped around her as she spun circles in her seat.

"Sorry, mom." Cyprus replied, jumping from the rooftop and grasping onto a drainpipe from the edge of the building, getting a better view of his targets, the condensation causing him to slip slightly and tighten his grip. The streetlights were far lower to the ground in Vale than most other cities, the unique authenticity of it gave him a distinct advantage making him nearly unnoticeable from above. Seeing the group head into the store, hoods above their heads in a typically 'street gangster' manner, he fell and landed straight on the roadway, the damp roadway leaving a small amount of water on his back as he rolled. Letting out a sharp whistle, the gang took note and looked outside, ignoring the terrified shop keep who was ducked under the counter, whimpering with his hand moving to lock the safe underneath.

"Yoohoo! Hello boys!" The vigilante called out, waving his now extended staff in wide swings.

"That who I think it is?" One of the men called out, narrowing his eyes to make out the figure silhouetted in the shadows.

"Yeah I…" Another began, pausing as he heard a familiar siren come screeching around the corner. "Cops! Run for it!"

As the hoodlums charged out of the store in a panic, Cyprus cocked his head at the commotion before spinning to meet the flashing red and blue lights illuminating the roadway around the corner. With a sigh, he pointed his staff to the runners, and flicking the trigger he fired bolts with lightning speed, which dropped each of the criminals to the ground in a frenzy of shock and spasms. Within mere seconds of incapacitating the foes, a group of cars blocked both exits to the streets, police officers stepping out of their cars and painting Cyprus is blinding white lights.

"Freeze, V.P.D! Drop your weapon and surrender!"

"Oh crap, little help please!?" The young fighter panicked as he looked for a way out. With both exists blocked and weapons pointed at him, he was already out of options, any alleyway or side street would be quickly covered and would only lead him further away from his ship.

"Oh jeez, give me a second to hack into the city's power grid."

"I don't exactly have a second."

"Then stall them!" Scylla exclaimed, fingers violently pressing multiple keys as a bead of sweat dripped down her forehead.

' _How the hell did they get here so quickly? They're never on point!'_ She thought, eyes darting back and forth to a screen in front of her as lines of code spammed the monitor, giving the room an eerie green glow around her.

"I said freeze!" One of the officers called out, hands firmly holding his gun towards the man in the middle of the street.

"Oh come on! Is this what I get for doing your job for you?"

"Freeze!" He called out again, many of the other officers now having their weapons pointed directly at Cyprus, who began backing up slowly towards the nearby side alleyway, head switching between the two groups of police that were beginning to encircle him. Just as they were about to take a warning shot at the young man, every light in the street suddenly shut down, from shops to light posts to the homes around the surrounding apartments.

"About damn time!" Cyprus whispered as he quickly vanished into the dark area between the buildings. Climbing between the walls he left the following officers dazed and confused at what had just occurred, and they were left to shout and flash the lights of their cars towards the now empty street.

"Sorry, they got me by surprise." Scylla sighed, shaking at her own aloofness to the cars that were making their way towards Cyprus's position, despite not having their sirens on she felt terrible for not taking any notice.

"Relax, you got me outta there. How the hell did they know?" The vigilante asked, peeking over the edge of the rundown apartment he had taken cover on top of. Looking down he saw the officers picking up the men who attempted to rob the store, but something seemed incredibly off to him. The police lifted the men as if they hadn't done anything wrong, no handcuffs, no pinning to the ground or even placing inside the cars they had scattered around. The atypical law enforcement behaviour made Cyprus anxious, and placing a finger to his ear he asked his companion if she would follow them as much as she could through the cameras while he headed back home.

"This doesn't make any sense, you think they were looking for us?" He asked as he channelled his aura to his legs to give him a boost for his leap to the other building, soaring above the empty streets and landing next to his aircraft, thankful that he had a better way of retuning that didn't involve becoming a stowaway. Climbing in he waited until the cars had gone completely out of view before turning the engines on, which although much quieter than a normal ship, the personalised aircraft still caused a whir that undoubtedly woke at least the next five floors below. Vanishing out of view he relaxed, sinking back in the chair as the small confines of the cockpit allowed him to use the side window as a makeshift pillow for his return journey.

A few minutes later Cyprus was already at the doorway to his room, knocking softly he hoped Scylla was still up to let him in. After a moment with no reply, he assumed the hacker was either asleep or too busy immersing herself in her work to notice his arrival, and slowly opened the door with a soft creak.

"Nice and easy…" He whispered, eyes scanning the room until he caught notice of his companion, head rested on her arms as she slumped over her desk. Most of the screens were off and those that remained left a dim glow across the room before being switched off by Cyprus, fingertips lightly tapping each individual screen causing the light to dim more and more each second until he was left carrying Scylla back to her bedside.

 _She's totally making me breakfast tomorrow._

* * *

Cyprus let out a groan as he found himself dragged down the hallway, the pompous blue uniform making him feel upset just by being in it. The sleek red tie was pulled from the inside of the reluctantly folded jacket and connected the new students as Scylla pulled her friend towards their class. She gave another tug at the red silk, yanking her makeshift prisoner once more and causing him to grunt in aggravation, unable to loosen the crimson leash around his neck.

"You didn't even make me breakfast."

"You overslept! Not my fault." Scylla replied, grinning as she saw team RWBY exiting their dorm room nearby and waving to her.

"I expected breakfast in bed!" The young man cried, giving his best look of grief to the girls walking into the hallway, hoping to get any kind of sympathy. After a few seconds he decided to regain his composure, standing up tall and loosening the tie to give him much needed looseness for his windpipe.

"Oh quit complaining, this way you can blend in." Yang giggled at the young man's expense, despite still being a few years older than her he still looked like a typical student in the uniform, complete with schoolboy depression and angst. The group continued to head through the school grounds, the sun giving a warming glow to the cool air surrounding them as they stepped out in the early morning light. Around him Cyprus could see dozens of students all walking to reach their own classes, most in uniform but some in combat gear, weapons in hand. The sheer diversity of the people around him felt rather strange, but also wonderful to see all shapes, sizes, colours and even species working together.

The following first classes passed incredibly slowly for Cyprus, the only highlight of the lessons being a nap that went unnoticed by the droning Professor giving what felt like an old man giving his war stories to uninterested grandchildren. Unfortunately his rest was fairly short lived as he was tapped away from his slumber by one of the nearby classmates.

"Mister Haze…"

"Ungh…"

"Mister Haze!"

The sudden raise in volume brought his head up from his desk, shouting anything at random in the hopes it would be an acceptable reply.

"Ah! Dust cannons!"

The sudden pause in the room made him very uncomfortable, slowly sinking his neck into his shoulder as he braced for the following humiliation.

"Correct! Excellent! The invention served to turn the tide of the initial war against the Grimm, you see students? I'm glad somebody listens in my classroom!" The teacher continued to ramble about the history of said answer, leaving a confused Cyprus to whip his head around the room, mind boggled at what had just happened.

"Nailed it _."_ The slacker mumbled to himself, nestling his head back between his arms. The remainder of the lessons before lunch went mostly uninterrupted for him, only a slap on the back of the head by his companion who was paying close attention to the lesson, scribbling notes as if to compensate for her partner's lazy attitude. As the bell rang and the group headed to the mess hall, Yang strolled up beside the Cyprus, arms folded with her head leaning towards him.

"You're a terrible role model." She joked, giving him a nudge to the side as the rest of the group continued just ahead.

"I know, but I'm so good at it!" He replied, giving a wide grin to the brawler beside him, who laughed before turning her head towards the majority of the group ahead of them.

"You turn my sister into a slacker and I'll destroy you." Yang said after a brief pause, eyes fixated on her little sister who was now skipping happily ahead of the group.

"Point taken, look like I'm working when the little one's watching."

Arriving at the lunch room the group took their seats at one of the centre tables, the long benches stretching all the way through the length of the hall. The tall, oval windows letting the rays of sun light the interior, giving a friendly feel to the environment, with only the dozens of other students making Cyprus feel more like the member of a cult than being a hunter in training.

"You know with everyone doing so much fighting you'd think it'd be a bit more…Rowdy?" Scylla said, taking a seat and grabbing one of the buns from a basket in front of her, across the table Ruby responded with a mouth full of a sandwich she had taken from who knows where.

"We have a few bad guys here, but there's worse than normal school bullies." She said, words muffled with the bite of food she had taken.

"But you have fighting skills, what bully would try messing with another student?"

"Because they are despicable and fighting isn't allowed in the school, and know they can get away with it whenever the teachers aren't watching." A familiar voice called from nearby, without noticing the members of the fellow team JNPR had followed the group inside and taken their seats next to them.

"Oh they're not so bad! They just have a little fun, that's all." The young knight beside the newly arrived Pyrrha spoke up, his voice shaking slightly as he handled a tray of food. His smile cracking under the gaze of the small crowd and he quickly dug into his meal to avoid any questions, much to the feelings of his teammate. Cyprus however noticed this and knowing full well how a victim of bullying acts, knew that someone was bothering the leader and decided to act as inconspicuously as possible.

"Who's not so bad?"

"Oh just some of the dummies who go to our classes!" One of the other members of JNPR piped up, her face filled with a half dozen different assortments of food not a second later.

"No, no!" Jaune stammered, waving his hands in front of him as he continued. "They're not dummies, just, uh…" suddenly stopping, he averted his eyes and returned to his meal, keeping his gaze fixated firmly on the meal in front of him and leaving the vigilante to cock his head to the side as Yang tugged at his jacket, quickly nodding her head in the opposite direction to which he was facing. Behind them a new group had entered the hall, and the young man could just feel the energy of their self-obsessed personas as they moved towards a nearby table, where a sole young girl was sat enjoying her lunch by herself.

"Hey Faunus, where's your team?" One of the new arrivals asked, leaning backwards onto the table in the seat next to the girl, her rabbit-esque ears slumping at the sound of the voices as they crowded around her.

"They're dropping their equipment off, sorry but the seats are reserved." The Faunus girl replied, flatly. Cyprus could tell she had dealt with the invaders before, and it seemed like they were becoming more of a nuisance with each passing second. Beside him, the brawler whispered into his ear in a hasty tone.

"Unless there's actually a fight, these asses can say what they want when teachers aren't around. But the person who hits first is to blame, that girl is a second year."

"So? Could she take them in a fight?"

Yang simply grinned while switching her view between Cyprus and the girl in question.

"Second years have way more experience than us, she could take them all on with one arm behind her back." She said, mashing her fist into her palm.

"Well, hopefully she can keep her cool." Cyprus began, he would have turned back around and let the antagonising group of students continue, if not for what they decided to do next that caught both his, and Scylla's attention.

"Hah! What a freak!" One of the group laughed, pointing at her as another of the boys grabbed her ears and began to tug at them.

"Those are real? Dude, gross!"

"Go back to your field, freakin' hare!"

Watching the girl wince in pain, Scylla and Cyprus both stood up, briefly stopping as they saw Jaune pick up his half-finished lunch and begin skulking out the door. The two clenched their fists as they looked at each other, quickly getting ready to strike before Ruby and Yang grabbed each of their arms, holding them in place.

"No! You start a fight and you'll be kicked out, they're super strict about this!" The leader exclaimed in a hushed tone, pleading at the hacker to stay in her seat. The two just smiled and gave their makeshift anchors a smile before removing their hands from them, and turned to face the bullies.

"You got those three? I'll get the big guy?" Cyprus stated, folding his arms as the two began walking, Scylla nodding in agreement as they went. Reaching the group and the young huntress wriggled out of their grasp and began to walk away, the tech geek made her way between the leader of the team and his subordinates, separating them from the vigilante, who held out a hand to greet the head bully.

"Hey, I'm Cyprus, what's your name?" He chimed, a false smile giving a friendly, innocent look on his face as he stretched out his hand.

"Uh, Cardin?" The boy said, running a hand through his short, crew cut brown hair as he leaned forward in his seat, suspicious of the eagerness of the man in front of him. Finally reaching a hand out, Cyprus took advantage of the sense of security Cardin had found himself in as he underestimated his slim figure. The entire hall becoming filled with silence as every eye was now fixed on the six students, expressions of confusion, interest and shock on everybody's face.

"Good to meet you Cardin, this is my friend Scylla! And you know what we hate more than anything in the world?" The young man asked, hands now placed firmly on his hips in a comically friendly manner. A complete contrast to his partner who was now cracking her knuckles and shifting into a fighting stance, despite the chuckles coming from her three opponents.

"What?" The student asked, his huge frame becoming more prominent as he stood up to face Cyprus, despite being only slightly taller, Cardin was at least fifty pounds heavier than the person next to him, his huge muscly frame towering over the vigilante.

Unfortunately for him, however, he had already completely underestimated his opponent. Cyprus spun round, sweeping his legs to trip the bully, leaving him on his back, stunned and off guard as the smaller man clambered and pinned his arms down with both his feet, and his hand wrapped around his thick neck, a tiny amount of pressure away from crushing his windpipe. Meanwhile, Scylla had taken it upon herself to incapacitate the rest of the team, three swift punches to each left them on the floor, clutching their stomachs as they tried to bring air back into their lungs.

"Looks like you idiots are getting kicked out!" Cardin laughed, trying to dislodge his attacker from the position.

"Here's the thing buddy," Cyprus began, a sly grin on his face. "You can tease or joke with all your little buddies as much as you like. But when you start actually making people uncomfortable, for example, being you know…" He quickly grabbed the tuft of hair pointing up from the floor and without a second thought he brought up the head of his prey, slamming it into the cold, hard floor beneath them.

"Being a judgemental…"

Scylla saw the brutality her partners attack, and after seeing Cardin's grey aura light up, judged it to be for the best, and promptly stood in-between their new friends who looked in horror at the situation.

"…Vile…" He continued, slamming the back of his skull into the ground once again.

"….Pathetic excuse for a person!" Getting up from off his opponent, his ignorant victim was left holding his hand on his head, still stunned from the attack. Leaning closer, he whispered to the boy on the ground, who was now grinning behind his wince as one of the Professor and guards began to enter the hall, shouting Cyprus's name as he stormed past the onlookers.

"Oh and, I'm new, so I can blame this whole thing on not knowing the rules around here. So think of this as a lesson, Cardy-boy."

The two began to head towards the teacher, who beckoned them to follow him, a fire burning in his eyes as they left a shocked audience, and an even more shocked Cardin on the floor of the hall beneath him.

"You really think we're getting away with this?" Scylla asked, her brow raised.

"Oh hell no, but it felt damn good."


	12. Chapter 12: Honest Mistakes

"Two days, TWO days you have been at our academy and already you have done something that would get a student suspended or expelled!" Glynda shouted to the pair sat in the dark room, a single solitary lamp hovering above their heads, casting them in the spotlight. The so called 'fight' that had taken place earlier in the day had brought the two attackers to one of the interview rooms in the school, the curtains pulled down and the soundproof doors closed to keep out any eavesdroppers.

"With all due respect, Miss Goodwitch, you need to work on your disciplinary skills." Scylla said, calmly, her fists still slightly sore from the flurry of punches she gave to the lackeys of team Cardinal.

"We must focus on making or students the future protectors of the people, whether they decide to be prejudiced against others is unfortunately not our main concern." The teacher replied, touching up her ovular glasses against her nose.

"You just let it happen!?" Scylla exclaimed, her eyes widening at the apparent ignorance of the rules present in the so-called prestigious academy.

"Of course not! If any student has a complaint we will investigate the issue, and if the worst comes, both parties can agree to a supervised duel to settle the dispute." The adamant response left Scylla without any kind of follow up, every school system had a few bad eggs, and she knew she had acted like a child in the situation. Glynda took a deep breath before calming down and continuing her explanation, "I know how you usually deal with troublemakers. But these are children you are dealing with, not criminals."

"I believe our new students have made quite the impression on the school, Miss Goodwitch." A familiar voice entered the room, somehow completely unnoticed by the three until he walked into the light that caused each of them to jump in fright.

"Hey Ozpin." Cyprus said, his face returning to its calm, uncaring expression as he greeted the headmaster. Pulling up a chair the green clad elder sat down, placing the coffee mug he was never seen without on top of the table, still with an aura of tranquillity about him. Goodwitch stood straight behind her superior, arms folded and legs firmly together, keeping her sense of authority and responsibility despite her temporary outburst.

"Cyprus, although criminals can be locked away, simple ignorant fools will not leave once beaten." The vigilante sat silent, it was true that he would see Cardin again, and he should have expected some kind of retaliation or payback, the same went for Scylla.

"I understand."

"However, you will not be punished for this incident. Not severely, at least."

The four people in the room all became silent, three of them stunned at the conclusion Ozpin had come to so quickly. As soon as Scylla and Cyprus were brought into the dark room and the blinds were closed they quickly lost faith in their excuse of not knowing the rules being able to pull them out of being expelled. Glynda opened her mouth, ready to speak in protest but any voice was stopped when the Headmaster held his hand in the air.

"You will receive a single detention and confinement to your dorm room for three days, you may not be allowed to leave from the beginning till the end of the school day, with the exception of classes and the detention sessions after class."

Cyprus let out a groan, he had hoped that even though he would be attending the school they would at least treat him more like the adult he was an less like a child who had forgotten his homework.

"Can I at least get my phone call? Or a visit from my wife?" He joked, holding his hands together and giving his best look of fake-sadness to the two in front of him. He could swear he saw Ozpin give the slightest hint of a grin, however both the women nearby gave a groan of disappointment, unfortunately for them that was the precisely the reaction Cyprus expected, and proceeded to revel in the sight.

"We will also speak to team CRDNL about this matter, enjoy your class Mister Haze, Miss Varun."

A short while later the couple noticed that they had already become the talk of the school, looking around they each saw several of the students in the class staring at them, despite the short amount of time word had made it around incredibly fast. She felt increasingly nervous as the classmates seemed to give a mix of emotions, most seeming to be either jumping on the gossip train or smiling, likely because they had each seen the antics of the team they crossed paths with. She couldn't keep track of the many others seeing as they would either turn away or change their expressions once seen by her, she just wished she had the same amount of aloofness as her friend, who was sat with his eyes half closed, barely conscious during the lesson.

"Hey, I think this is bad."

"Yeah, probably."

"You think we should apologize?"

Cyprus closed his eyes for a brief second before responding, pulling himself so he was sitting fully upright in his chair.

"To who? The ones staring at us or Elmer Fudd?"

"The guys we took down of course! Why would we need to apologize for people we did nothing to? And who is Elmer Fudd?"

"Never mind."

Scylla didn't notice that she had raised her voice slightly in the bickering, and the teacher in the centre of the room had stopped talking and let out a slight cough, checking his watch as the hacker stammered and looked back down at her papers, muttering a brief apology so the man could continue with his lecture. While this was going on she noticed Cyprus had begun scribbling on a paper, swiftly passing it to her as he returned to his slumped position.

 _A lot of these kinds think we did good. But a few, likely Faunus, probably think we did it because that girl couldn't defend herself. So we should apologize to her about wrapping her up in all this, get it?_

Giving a short nod of approval, Scylla returned to her work, praying for the lesson to end so they could deal with the oncoming storm of either praise, fear or anger.

"Alright Cardin, you're fine. There was some bruising but your aura will recharge and clean it up in a few hours."

The infirmary was usually near empty, or reserved for broken bones and more serious injuries. But the sheer brutality and shock of the attack had left team CRDL to receive medical attention just in case. School fights were a complete anomaly at Beacon, as most in not all students knew what it meant to start any kind of fight without authorization.

"That idiot got lucky, I'll get him back." The young leader said, rubbing his hand over the still sore spot on the back of his skull.

"It was that kind of attitude that got you into that situation, Mister Winchester. I suggest you be more open minded in the future." The nurse replied, receiving an uptight huff from her patient before returning to her other duties. His brash attitude had gotten Cardin into several fights in his youth, and he was barely keeping it together as his ego increased greatly from being chosen as leader, and the lack of schoolyard fights from his childhood left him with nothing but the inanimate objects in the training areas to blow off steam. As the group left the building to head back to the dorm, one of the other teammates spoke up, his side still sore after the beat down from Scylla earlier.

"Hey Cardin, you think that girl put those jerks up to this?" His short stature making the well-built knight jump in surprise.

"Nah, she might be a dirty Faunus but she's not that dumb. It might have been…" He paused, turning a corner outside of the building he saw none other than his prime target for the past week, Jaune Arc, walking at a brisk pace with a handful of books. Locking onto his target, Cardin clicked his fingers for his lackeys to follow and moved in, quickly wrapping an arm around his prey in a display of obviously false friendship.

"Hey Jaune! Good to see ya!"

Arc gave a yelp in shock before stammering out a reply.

"C-Cardin! Hey? W-what's up?"

"Oh you know, your buddy did a number on me, you wouldn't happen to know who wanted him to do that, did'ya?"

Cardin had made the considerably weaker leader a target since day one, constant antics of a typical elementary school bully plagued Jaunes' school experience so far. Typical things like knocking books from his hands, stuffing him in lockers, pretty much every trick in the book had been used up within the first week. But Cardin already had big plans for Jaune, and this situation had given him the perfect excuse to begin looking into more ways to make the smaller teenagers' life a living hell.

"Cyprus? H-He did that?"

As Jaune had left the hall before the subsequent bombardment of Cardins' skull, he had no idea what was going on. But his opponent didn't buy it, instead picking him up by the front of his shirt and shaking him once he made sure nobody else was nearby.

"Don't play dumb, Jauney-boy! I don't know what you're game is but mess with me again and you'll get it!" And with that, he dropped Jaune back on the ground with a thump, leaving him barely able to keep his balance as Cardin left, each member of his team barging the poor boy with their shoulders as they followed.

"You sure he put idiot up to it? He looked pretty…Not guilty." One of the lesser members piped, skulking beside his leader and fiddling with his hands, seemingly nervous to even speak his mind to the musclebound superior next to him. Cardin turned briefly back to Jaune, who was now hastily scrambling up his books, his head hung low to the ground.

"Oh he did it, and soon enough I'll find something to get him back with." Cardin replied, contemplating his next move and how he would exact his revenge on his fellow student. Meanwhile Jaune began heading back to his dorm, with classes over he could be safe from any more abuse and focus on his homework, the soft breeze waved through his hair as he jogged back to the main dorm room ahead of Cardin, praying that he wouldn't have to deal with his constant, unprovoked aggression for a while longer.

"Excuse me, miss? Hey!" Cyprus exclaimed, his arm waving high in the air to grab the attention of the Faunus girl as she headed briskly to what was most likely her dorm room, with the school day over the pair found it a perfect chance to go over the events that occurred in the main hall. Her tall, brown ears were easily noticeable, and the team beside her made Cyprus rather uneasy as a huge, towering boy stood alongside the girl who now seemed tiny in comparison, despite being a few inches taller than the vigilante.

"You the ones who started it?" The other girl in the small crowd said, nudging through the gap between her two teammates and pulling her wide sunglasses down with a finger. Her stylish black beret felt incredibly out of place with the school uniform, making her seem like it was another person's head on that body.

"Yeah, we just came to-"

The brunette quickly gave Cyprus a slap across his face, her arm undetectable as it swept across her body and the red handprint appearing after a few seconds on his cheek. Cracking his jaw, he waved a hand to Scylla who was stood at his side, her mouth agape at the sudden assault by the girl in front of them.

"I don't think I deserved that." The comical student groaned and looked towards his companion, "You're the people person, mind taking this one?"

Ruffling her friend's hair, Scylla turned her attention to the young woman in front of her. The rest of the bespectacled huntress's team stood with arms folded, each giving mixed looks of concern, suspicion and aggravation.

"We just wanted to apologize, we didn't want you to think we did it because you couldn't handle yourself." Scylla said, calmly. Her eyes not wavering from the gaze of the rabbit-eared girl, who upon hearing this, raised a brow in interest of the fairly surprising apology. Taking a breath, the fiery technophile took a step closer and continued. "We should've thought before we acted, we know that you're stronger than those idiots and I suppose our sense of justice got the better of us." A light chuckle escaped her mouth, leaving the group with an awkward silence before some small talk finally led to the group making amends, and leaving each other to their business.

The next day came off as rather hectic to Cyprus, with Scylla skipping the first class to spend a few hours of the morning going over the footage from the precious night, he was left to actually take part in an expedition to the Emerald Forest. Going over the lesson briefing on his scroll he remembered something about collecting sap from the trees there, and deciding not to barrage teachers and students alike with questions he believed the best course of action would be to just go along for the ride.

' _At least they'll have no idea who I really am now.'_ Cyprus thought as he made his way to one of the many small aircraft that littered the landing pads just behind the school, their steel plating and open side doors giving a tranquil image of the forest area past them. Climbing aboard in the nearest craft he found himself planted next to an increasingly nervous Jaune, one hand firmly gripping the metal bar above his head, his off hand tucking a box close to his side.

"Morning Jaune, what's in the box?"

"Oh~ I, uhh.." The knight stammered, eyes shifting all over the place but never connecting with Cyprus's. "Just a little project I'm working on, nothing big."

Narrowing his eyes for a second, Cyprus decided not to interfere and simply shrugged and looked onwards as the ship ascended and hovered just over the trees. Though he could swear before the engines spun he heard a very light buzzing in his ears.

"So uh, what's with the outfit?" Jaune spoke, briefly. His voice barely audible over the noise of the engines. Looking around quickly, the vigilante leaned closer once he was sure no other people around were listening.

"I can't exactly have every student finding out who I am, as far as you know I'm just another random kid" He replied, looking over his new wardrobe. The new metal plates over his shoulders and forearms glinted in the sunlight, and the dark leather chest piece absorbing the heat from the warm weather. He batted at his side, making sure his compressed weapon was still attached to the new belt which was included free of charge by the craftsman, and sighed happily when he felt its familiar weight pressed against him.

After a short flight, the students began exiting the airships, freefalling into the tree line like specks of rock from an unsteady mountainside. Upon landing along with team JNPR, he noticed Jaune immediately part from the team and head towards some of the other figures in the forest, the box held tightly in his hands.

The forest glowed a brilliant red hue, the leaves filtering the light of the sun giving the blood-coloured area a cool feeling as small breezes shifted the branches and whisked the dead leaves into the air. There were almost no animals around, save for a few stray birds flying overhead, and the new student wondered whether that was due to them arriving or something else entirely. Taking a brief moment to look around and take in the atmosphere, he turned to the remainder of the team.

"So, what's the deal with Jaune?" Cyprus asked the three students beside him, Nora and Ren giving uneasy looks before shrugging. Pyrrha on the other hand, simply grunted and turned away to reach the other main group of people standing in the forest, and the hand placed on her shoulder was quickly swatted away by the prodigy leaving the vigilante stood by himself.

 _Alright, time to play detective..._

Seeking the darkest corner with the best view, Cyprus quickly and smoothly sank behind one of the larger trees, taking care not to step on ay stray branches. Watching the young student trudge through the forest floor, kicking up bunches of leaves with his feet as he went and mumbling to himself. Upon a few more seconds of moving, the source of Juane's less than subtle attitude coming into view as a towering male followed by three lackeys appeared from behind one of the larger tree trunks. Cardin Winchester instantly grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and began dragging him up a small hill, his followers chuckling to each other as they followed quickly in tow.

After a few minutes of stalking, Cyprus saw Jaune finally return to the group, who were now relaxing on the forest floor with their hands behind their heads. The puffy faced blond collapsing on the ground with jars of the blood red sap from the trees around them,

"I think I'm allergic to thish shtuff." He whimpered, face planted into the leaves along the ground. However his rest was short lived as he was dragged to his feet by the bully, who proceeded to head to an open clearing just above where the rest of the students were still busy collecting.

Grabbing a stray jar that was dropped on the ground earlier, Cyprus took this opportunity to collect some for himself, a plan forming quickly in his head. A plan filled to the brim with flaws and fully based on faith and luck, but a plan nonetheless. Expanding his weapon and stabbing the blade into the trunk of the nearest tree, red juices flowing out to the ground giving a gruesome feeling that the tree was actually bleeding. Shrugging off the thought he hastily filled his jar and sped through the underbrush, leaves lifting as the air passed by them.

"Here buddy, where are you? come on out…" Cyprus spoke softly to the nothingness around him, slowly holding the open jar of sap in front of him. In the distance a silhouette came into view, growling and scratching at one of the trees.

 _Aha! Beowolf!_

As Cyprus shifted closer, he noticed something was off. The Grimm was large, larger than any Beowolf he had seen before. And covered in white bone plating, red eyes glowing as it turned to face him. The beast stood tall and casted a dark shadow over the forest floor, a low growl bellowed through the atmosphere as nothing else was heard beside to slow winds rustling the leaves. Huge, towering spines along its back stood on end a glaring threat display had Cyprus stop dead in his tracks, eyes wide and mouth agape.

And time seemed to stop completely.

 _Okay, not a Beowolf._


	13. Chapter 13: Tough Love

Scylla sat, surrounded by fellow students in the dull lecture room, each one with their eyes shifting quickly and darting back and forth around the room. Trails of wind rattling her sheets of paper she had scattered over her part of the long wooden table, one hand keeping them from flying off as the other held a pen, scribbling notes as fast as she could take them.

"Now you see students, the strongest points are always the white plates, and as young aspiring hunters and huntresses I am sure you know all too well how important it is to know the vulnerabilities of Grimm of all shapes and sizes. I trust you are all writing this down because every single word I say will be on the test!"

A choir of groans filled the room as the energetic professor took a rather quick swig of his coffee, pushing his oversized, circular glasses up the bridge of his nose. The shuffling of papers briefly overtook the sound of the rambling teacher, who continued to speed to each side of the room repeatedly.

Scylla envied her newfound friends right now and wished she was on the field trip as well, or at least she would had she not known Cyprus was there. She chuckled to herself softly as she wondered what antics he could be up to, and who he might be annoying today. Turning back to her professor she noticed that he was on a completely different subject than the topic she was taking notes of mere seconds ago. Deciding against filling a new page of what sounded like the recipe for his coffee, although with a pound of sugar in the mix, Scylla tidied her desk and placed her papers back into their folder.

"Miss Varun! Our newest arrival, would you please like to explain to me why it is a terrible idea to add more than three tablespoons of coffee per six oz. of water?" The Professor was inches from the redheads' face in the blink of an eyes, his frazzled hair and overexcited expression causing a couple of the other hunters-in-training to giggle to each other.

"It makes the coffee too strong and ruins the balance, and two tablespoons is the optimum amount, Professor Oobleck." She replied, flatly. She thought to herself how being, to quote Cyprus, a 'smartass' could come in handy quite often. Though she felt like the eyes behind her were judging, and dared not turn round to risk two dozen irritated faces behind her.

"Brilliant! Sheer brilliance, I see you are as much an enthusiast as myself young lady!" He chimed, before speeding around the room once more on yet another completely separate topic. Scylla realized she wasn't the only one in the room who wished they were outside, heads were turned to the nearby windows as the cloudless skies brought a soothing light into the room. Those unlucky enough to be caught directly in the rays found themselves squinting and shielding their eyes with whatever objects they could get their hands on.

"Well, someone knows their coffee…" A mysterious voice called softly into her ear.

"Gah! Don't sneak up on me like that!" Scylla cried out, almost attracting the attention of her fellow classmates as the voice started to chuckle. Turning quickly she noticed the familiar beret and sunglasses, the aroma of cocoa filling her nostrils as she noticed the girl beside her was scarily close to her ear, as if she was sensually whispering to her.

"Umm…Hi? Coco right?" The redhead stammered, a nervous smile creeping up on her face as the other girl shifted her expensive sunglasses downwards, giving a cheeky wink.

"You know it."

"I thought you were a second year? How come you're in this class?"

The feisty student gave a huff before returning to her seat with her face resting on her hand, beret shifting to a more comfortable position as she curled a strand of hair around her finger.

"I failed a class last year and have to retry it, I thought we were gonna be fighting Grimm. Not…" She winced a little as she opened her hand and waved down her body, showing her slender uniform each student was assigned to wear during classes. The crimson plaid skirt almost made the caffeine loving young woman wretch, and the posh, unstylish feel of the blazer and black shoes not helping the situation she found herself in. "This."

Scylla paused and took a moment to gaze over the girls' dress, the stylish look that Coco tried to keep above her shoulders made it seem like two people had switched places above the neck. Unfortunately for the tech geek she had stared perhaps a little too long, as Coco slowly placed a finger under Scylla's chin and lifted her head upwards, eyes meeting her sultry gaze.

"My eyes are up here, precious."

"Oh I wasn't-"

"Relax, honey I'm just playing. You're a fun one." Coco interrupted as she raised her eyebrows a couple of times in succession, causing the blood to rise up to her victims pale face. Giving a small chuckle before turning away to look at her recently painted nails, their deep brown colour fitting her surprisingly well.

"Listen thanks for clearing the air with Velvet yesterday, it's not often she actually gets shown some respect. I don't know why she doesn't just beat the crap out of the guys that mess with her."

"Maybe she thinks it's best not to sink to their level?"

Coco gave a small chuckle before responding, body sliding further down the wooden bench and folding her arms.

"If only it was that easy, sometimes monsters don't know how bad they are until the something just as bad as what they do happens to them, get me?" She once again nudged her expensive eyewear up the bridge of her nose, "The world's not sunshine and roses, honey."

"Oh believe me, I know." Scylla replied, remembering the life she once lived without a care in the world and how almost everything was ripped away within a night.

"Anyway, I wanted to…" Coco quickly changed the subject after seeing the depressing look on her companions face. However before the conversation could go any further, a couple of girls in front of them began a rather heated debate.

"He looks different!"

The two student's send muffled remarks to each other as they buried their faces into a scroll, hidden behind an upright textbook. The device emanating a weak glow as the projection showed a news article, the front page with yet another blurry image of Cyprus, this time from the fuzzy, unfocused, black and white dashboard camera of a police car.

"No he doesn't, look! The dangly parts are still there!"

"The body is different! And look at the arms!"

"It was always like that!"

"Please, did you _see_ last week's report?"

Their scuffle continued as the teacher was still too invested in his own discussions that he failed to notice the increasing volume. A quick nudge in one of their shoulders brought them back to attention, faces reddening as they noticed every eye save for the Professor was firmly fixated on them. A few giggles and smirks from the classmates had the couple quickly put away their scroll, a soft tone beeping quickly as the two solid pieces snapped together.

"Girls! Please pay attention, you must understand the dire importance of carrying at least one pen with you no matter where you are! It is mightier than the gunsword after all!" Oobleck said, almost shouting in the faces of the two students before scurrying away once more. Grumbling, the pair continued to backtalk each other as the lesson went on.

"He looks different."

"Does not."

"Does too."

"Does not."

 _Oh brother…_

* * *

"Not a Beowolf, not a Beowolf!" Cyprus stammered under heavy pants as he struggled to stay ahead of the colossal creature, claws churning the dirt under its weight and massive strength. Dodging between trees the beast continued to close the distance on him, the ground rattling beneath his feet as he stumbled around, jar of sap held tightly in his hands.

The Ursa lunged forward, its claws ready to grab the student as he ran through the forest, thankfully a well-placed tree gave Cyprus the opportunity to duck around, causing the creature to smash headfirst in a comical fashion. However, this served only to anger it, as it took a second to shake its head and regain its composure and gave haste once again. This time with more rage fuelling its advance.

' _You know maybe I should think my plans through before doing them…'_ Cyprus thought to himself as a large branch crashed in front of him, causing him to leap over through the waterfall of blood red leaves. A bead of sweat jumped from his forehead as he dashed through the tree line to the small open area, legs on fire from the sprint and the adrenaline numbing the pain.

Thankfully for the vigilante he wasn't too late, the sight of Cardin standing over a defeated Jaune, bruised, beaten and surrounded by the team of bullies. The cracking of the leaders' knuckles served as the perfect makeshift cue to enter the fray.

"Cardy boy! Catch!"

Hurling the leaking jar of sap, Cyprus winced slightly as the glass jar shattered on the back of his chest plate, plastering the warrior with a smear of gory red. Turning around with burning eyes, Cardin looked right at the vigilante, the front of his torso plastered the same as his back, the jelly-like material dripping onto the ground and his boots.

However the colour in his face drained as Cyprus dove to the side, the colossal Grimm sliding to a stop, wrinkling its nose and focusing attention on the Sap-covered warrior. The group froze for a moment, Cardin's eyes widened as the beast moved closer.

""T-that's a big Ursa!" One of the lackeys squeaked, voice cracking as he and three others turned tail and ran back down the hill towards the thicker area of the forest.

"You know maybe I should've thought this through more…" Cyprus mumbled to himself as he picked himself up from the leafy ground. Watching as Cardin was swiped to the side by the paw of the armoured beast, armour clanging as it hit and churned up the dirt beneath him. Locking eyes with a frozen Jaune, it turned its attention back to the other student, who was now scrambling in the dirt in a vain attempt to get farther away.

"Alright blondie, on your feet!" Within a mere few seconds, Cyprus has whisked himself around from the action and lifted the beaten child back into a standing position. And with a soft push he nudged Jaune towards the distracted Grimm.

"Wh-what are you doing!?" He cried out, eyes wide and legs trembling out of fear.

"You're gonna kick that Ursa's ass and show Cardin who's boss."

"Are you insane? I can't-!"

Cyprus gave him a steady gaze, as if the chaos around them was non-existent. Placing a hand on his shoulder he pulled the folded weapon from his belt.

"Listen, you can do this. You're better than him and there's no better way to prove that than by pulling him out of the fire, you're a fighter kid, I can see it in your eyes." For a second Cyprus imagined himself striking a triumphant pose, with an angel's chorus in the background. Jaune paused for a moment, lifting an eyebrow at his new apparent mentor.

"Okay, that was…Dramatic. But I can't fight this thing!"

"Hey, would you rather I didn't- Look, I don't know what your deal is with everyone else right now. But your team isn't going to abandon you just because you had some falling out or whatever, alright? They're still gonna be there for you." Extending his staff, Cyprus readied himself into a battle stance, his eyes now trained on the beast, which had just done away with Cardin's mace, his first and last line of defence. "You've got this, I've got your back."

Jaune paused for a second, looking at the sword attached to his belt. In such a short time he had already learnt so much, more than he ever had about fighting in any other company. He might be far from becoming a hunter, but he's still closer than he'd ever been.

Charging towards the Ursa, its black fur seemingly absorbing the light around it, Jaune sprinted beside the creature, shield expanding alongside his forearm into its signature kite shape. Although light and thin, the family heirloom was certainly able to take a beating. This was made no more apparent when the bone plated monster struck its claws down, about to deliver a huge blow to the cowering warrior. Thankfully for him, his punching bag was there to save the day, shield raised and boots planted firmly in the ground, Jaune's piercing white shield met the sharp daggers of the Ursa's claws, and metal clattered with bone as they clashed.

"Go get 'em Jaune." Cyprus spoke to himself, taking a step back he slowly placed his weapon back into its holster and retreated towards the treeline. Just as a trio of the other students came dashing through the leaves past him.

"Oh no..." Pyrrha said, softly. Her heartrate increasing as she saw her teammate taking on the violent beast single-handedly, all while herself, Ruby and Weiss each drew their weapons and readied themselves for a fight. Noticing Cyprus stood, aloof among the chaos a fire erupted in the prodigy almost instantaneously and would've screamed at him if not for attracting the attention of the distracted Ursa.

"What are you doing? Come on let's-"Weiss began, however a raised hand from the onlooker stopped her in her tracks, turning his head ever so slightly as he kept his eyes squarely on Jaune, who had knocked away the Ursa's initial assault and begun his counter attack, a quick slash upwards against the beasts vulnerable underbelly. Following by a side roll into the leafy ground, dodging another pounce by a merely a second as dirt churned in the air and splatted his armour, pellets of grit coating his jacket and pants with earthy brown.

"Ah, ah, ah~ The kid's gotta learn, we'll jump in if it gets too much."

"By you decide that, it'll be too late!" Weiss shouted, watching as the monster began batting Jaune around like a ragdoll. His body flying from several hits, disorienting him as he attempted to regain his footing. "This is ridiculous! Come on Ruby!"

Pyrrha quickly raised a hand to stop the pair from entering the fray, her eyes switching quickly between Jaune and Cyprus, who was still stood with arms folded. His brow furrowing slightly as Jaune began a mindless offensive counterattack, swinging his blade wildly only to be smashed to the other side of the field next to a helpless Cardin.

"Wait." She said, taking her place at Cyprus's side the four stood and watched the young knight tackle his biggest challenge head on. Like David and Goliath the match seemed always in the Ursa's favour, swatting Jaune back and forth across the battlefield. Another hit sent him flying across the ground at the group's feet, and within a second he was lifted and thrust back into the fight by Cyprus.

"I think it's going pretty well, actually." He grinned, as if the entire ordeal was some kind of act, he gave a comical thumbs up to his battered colleague and signalled him to finish his match with the Grimm. Upon turning, Jaune gave a deep breath, watching as the beast closed in on his position, ready to strike.

With both sides giving a charging yell, they each raised their right arms for a final swing, Jaune's sword held to the side with his shield guarding his front. The thumbs up from Cyprus quickly changed to a hand over his eyes, the amateur display shown to the group making the outcome of the battle all the more clear.

"Oh he's gonna die."

"No he's not." Pyrrha interjected, eyes still fixed on the fight as she began to raise her hand.

"Yeah, so dead."

The hint of a smile appeared on her face, her undying focus noticed by the two other girls beside her. The faint glow of her aura spread through her fingertips and along her forearm, like her very skin became luminescent.

As Jaune began his strike, the shield that had been covering his chest during the advance gave way, moving his left side so he could get a more forceful swing out of his weapon. However this left him completely defenceless, and despite being a mere beast, the Ursa could see its prey was vulnerable and lifted its paw to strike. The pointed claws like the blades of kitchen knives sticking from its flesh.

"Yep, see? Dead. Totally…." The rest of the words failed to leave Cyprus's mouth, as the shield in Jaune's offhand began to lift upwards, the astronomical likelihood of him managing to bring it to that position after ignoring it for so long left him baffled by the technique. And within the blink of an eye, the knights' arm was blocking the powerful strike of the Ursa, his body moving to a crouched position before he sprung up with all his might, sword slashing through the air and cutting the Ursa's head clean off like it was a stick of butter.

"Dead?"

The triumphant Jaune slowly folded his lifesaver back into its sheath form, placing his bloodied blade inside as the fallen Grimm corpse sank into the ground, limbs twitching slightly as the decapitated head rolled along the crimson ground beneath it. Blood seeping and blending into the leaves, causing the dirt to look no different than it had before.

"Uh, what?" Ruby piped, raising an eyebrow at Pyrrhas' outstretched hand, the black glow fading as it returned to normal, and a proud beaming smile emanated from her lips.

"How did you…?" Weiss followed, unable to finish her question due to the utter confusion that followed the events that transpired. Her brow furrowing in suspicion, and her eyes meeting Ruby's quickly before her attention darted back to the prodigy as she began explaining.

"Well, Ruby has her speed, you have your Glyphs…"

"And Cyprus has his zappy thing!" Ruby interrupted, bouncing and pointing to the young man who was still focused on the pair in front of him, walking over to give the defeated Grimm a small kick.

"Right…." Pyrrha replied, somewhat confused. "Anyway, my semblance is polarity."

Ruby gave a gasp of wonder, silver eyes widening as she spoke.

"You can control poles."

"No you dunce! It means she has control over magnetism." The heiress spouted, rolling her eyes at the naivety of her teammate.

As the three continued to bicker and slowly leave the scene, Jaune made his way to the vigilante, who was once again giving a thumbs up to the student. Battered and bruised he confidently strolled over, puffing his chest out and making a terrible attempt at hiding a limp.

"I…I did it." He panted, smiling uncontrollably.

"Yeah you did great kiddo, now get back to the others. They're worried sick."

With a quick nod, the victor jogged back to the others who were already way past the treeline, a spring and a dip in his step as me moved. Meanwhile Cardin slowly but surely began his walk back to the rest of the group, and was quickly stopped by Cyprus who eagerly wrapped his arm over the well-built students' shoulder like a needy colleague about to ask a favour.

"Well Cardy boy, I hope you learned your lesson!"

"You could've got me killed! What is wrong with you!?" He shouted, throwing the vigilante off of him and leaving the young man to chuckle to himself. However he just as quickly set his face straight, a steady gaze and humourless expression took over his carefree laughter.

"I know, which is why you'll think twice before messing with someone for no reason. Got it?"

As he turned to walk away, Cardin picked his mace from off the ground and gripped it tightly in his fist, gritting his teeth and taking a step forward. However after a moments pause, he lifted the mace onto his back where it sat holstered, and looked down at the bloodied ground, defeated.

"Yeah…Got it."


	14. Chapter 14: Sucker Kick

The following evening came slowly to Scylla, another brief chat with the girl she had become fast friends with led her to somehow being involved in a night of merriment at the second year dorms. The promise of alcohol and relaxation after a week of nonstop work felt like a godsend to the young woman. Over the past week she had found herself barely getting more than four or five hours sleep a night, and the bags under her eyes were beginning to show. During the day she would be attending as many classes as she could, burying her face in textbooks and making her best attempt to listen to the droning of the teachers during the lectures. And most of the night was spent monitoring her cameras spread around the streets of Vale, watching as Cyprus hunted down the criminals that stalked the alleyways, after last week's hiccup with the authorities nothing out of the ordinary had happened. But they both agreed to keep a lower profile and only take on the less obvious crimes, such as those attempting to break into the odd apartment or general store.

"So your new friend, is she-"

"No." Scylla responded instantly, the voice on the other end of her communication device began to laugh at her.

"You didn't even know what I was going to say!"

"I know that my answer would be no."

"Fair point."

The small talk that filled the quiet night air was all the pair could do to keep each other company during those times, and even though both parties would much rather be sleeping or at least relaxing in their warm beds they knew they had a job to do. Or in Cyprus's case, a reputation to keep and an ego to fill.

Another week had passed since the eventful school trip, and the pair had become well known among many of the students, and team RWBY always seemed to be the first people they thought of when the idea of friends popped into their minds. With their dorms nearby, shared classes and Ruby still taking on the unnecessary roles of their guide, the groups could hardly escape each other.

However always watching him like a Hawk, the Vigilante couldn't help but remember the curious, yet untrustworthy looks of some of his peers. Admittedly, he knew his sudden appearance mixed with the recent events would turn heads at some point or another, and as he set the tiny craft down for a landing he muttered to himself where he was even planning to go with this.

"You know I can still hear you, right?" His partner sighed from the other end of the channel, listening and watching his every move was the job he gave her, and while she was happy to do so she still made a point to stop the man from talking to himself.

"Yeah, I hear you." His instant change in attitude was noticed by Scylla like a beacon in the night. He never changed from his spry, mischievous attitude often, and usually it was only while deep in thought.

"So, what's wrong?" She cooed, her tone condescending like a sister teasing a younger sibling.

"We've been doing this for, what? A year or so?"

"Probably more." She replied flatly as she knew exactly where the conversation was going, as they had talked about the subject several times before. She eyed the cameras near Cyprus's position as his shadowed figure stalked the streets, she had taken notice of yet another predictable, back alley crime. His hood raised over his head, only his pointed nose and teal stubble were the visible features on his face, the two trails from the waist of his outfit rustled in the strong winds as he leant over the top of one of the more dilapidated buildings, dust and rubble shifted and poured from the corner as he placed a foot on it.

"What's it leading to? I wanted to help people but eventually I-"

"You realize that it takes more than one person taking down petty thieves to make the world a better place, we've been over this."

"I know."

Cyprus pondered as he clambered over and placed his hands on the edge of the roof, his legs pressing against the wall and shifting along the bricks. He turned to look at the next ledge over, and grunted in response to a leap which landed him hanging over one of the dark alleyways.

"And you could've left whenever, so what's your plan now you're back in school?" He chuckled, wondering what might be in store for the two of them now that they were technically students again, much to his own disapproval they were training to be hunters. Protectors of the world and destroyers on Grimm, even if he had only ever fought a handful of the creatures with each encounter going about as well as throwing a rabbit into a fox hole.

"Be a Huntress. You saw me when we first met, following them into the forest. I always wanted to be one, so this is a damn good opportunity for me, you still not decided?" She smiled warmly to herself, knowing she had a career path other than sitting at a wall of screens all night long.

"Take a guess. Anyway, I'm almost there." He grumbled, pushing his way along the side of the roof until he found himself looking down to a small group, several wearing similar, black and white outfits.

"Look, you've wasted too much time already, they hit the store and are almost done with…Whatever it is they're doing, there are more of them now so be ready." Scylla interrupted before Cyprus could say anything else, finally getting the pair of thieves in a position where her partner could strike. They missed one Dust store robbery this week and they weren't planning on missing another, tracking them from the destroyed windows of the shop all the way to almost the other side of the City.

"Alright, there they are." She perked up, pointing out the obvious as the two caught view of the criminals, exchanging small pouches and bags of who knows what. His initial guess was drugs, however the longer he looked at the group, the more he realized these might be far different to the normal thugs he had been put against.

"Are those, uniforms? And…Masks?" He whispered into the microphone of his headset, the small metal device protruding from his ear sent a slight wave of static from the other end before the response came through.

"Yeah, they're not normal-"She paused. The news reports over the past days answered her confusion almost immediately as she zoomed in with a nearby camera, revealing the masks that clearly imitated the creatures of Grimm with their bone coloured plates, and the red highlights barely visible from the distance he was away from them. He counted four of those unmistakable members of the White Fang, staring intently behind an imperceptible man with steel grey hair. His stylish, yet equally inconspicuous outfit left him looking like any other hunter or student. The platinum and grey trims on the tight fitting, minimally outstanding suit made him harder to spot, and would have been damn near impossible to see if not for one of the dim light above their head where he met with a group of suited men.

"Those are White Fang, the hell are they doing here?" Scylla wondered, running her hands through her dishevelled, crimson hair before taking notice of one of the members of the group, his masked face turned left, looking seemingly directly at the camera before nudging one of those beside him with an elbow. A growl followed but was soon silenced as the mystery man turned to face the camera and a smirk lit up on his face.

"Cyprus….Cyprus they know-" She was cut off, nothing but static soon followed as the feed on each camera within around a hundred metres was cut instantly, leaving nothing but grey specks covering many of the screens on the wall.

"What? Hey? Am I good to go or…" He paused, looking down towards the group, he gulped as each set of eyes found themselves planted on his now exposed figure, the shadows around him ceased as a blinding torchlight lit up his body, revealing his shining metal plates and green, near skin-tight armour. "Aw, hell."

"Now!" The leader of the group exclaimed, changing to a battle stance and throwing the small device in the palm of his hand back into his pocket, watching as the small, blinking red light on the camera faded into nothingness.

"Alright then, let's go." Cyprus sighed, rolling his eyes and taking the small weapon from the holster on his belt. Flicking a switch on the lower half he watched it shift in front of him, forming into its smaller, ranged form. As he bounced and slid from wall to wall, his eyes widened as the weapon in his hand sent out its ammunition. However the bolts that usually glowed a bright pulsing blue, were now blank and empty as they pelted the White Fang members below and bounced off them, having no effect at all and rattling onto the pavement at their feet.

He barely managed a groan before the silver haired man began his counterattack, lifting his right leg into the air and thrusting it right as Cyprus made his way to the floor. The metal heel on his boot connecting almost instantaneously with the Vigilantes' chin, sending him flying back down the narrow street. As he hit the ground with a crash, he shook his head, dazed as he saw the other half dozen lackeys follow suit, and with several hits over the head his vision faded into blackness.

* * *

The members of Team RWBY wandered around Vale, the bustling City giving an invigorating atmosphere to the group as they made their way through the festive decorations that hung over almost every light post and between every rooftop. The bright green and red colouring signalling the beginnings of the Vytal Festival, a time of fun, games and for aspiring Hunters and Huntresses, tournaments.

"I don't think I've ever seen you smile this much, Weiss." Ruby began, placing a hand on her hip and smirking to her comrade. "It's kinda weirding me out." She joked, raising her shoulder so her head sank down, ready for another lecture or throwback from the Heiress.

"How could you not smile?"" She retorted, her voice still as chipper as it was before Ruby's remark on her attitude. A festival dedicated to the cultures of the world! There will be dances, parades, and a tournament!" She continued to ramble on about the far less interesting side of the event, such as planning and maintenance and quickly lost the interest of her peers.

"You really know how to take a good thing and make it sound boring…"Yang sighed, her gauntlets clicked together softly as she folded her arms. And smiled briefly as she was silenced quickly by Weiss, who was now back to her usual pouty self.

"I bet Scylla would enjoy the more intricate parts of the festival! Where is she anyway?"

The group shrugged, looking to each other they were reminded of earlier in the morning when they headed to wake the pair up, only to find them missing from their dorm with no trace of where they might be. Assuming they were already on their way to the City they had hoped to find them there, but so far they had not prevailed in their search.

"I'm sure they're around, knowing Cyprus he's probably out boasting somewhere." Yang chuckled to herself, only to be met with cheeky smiles from her companions, giving her another chance to roll her eyes at the teasing.

The group stopped at the railing, the large plots of water around the docks sending the rather unpleasant smell of salt and fish into their nostrils. As this caused the team leader to hold her nose in disgust, the rest of the group looked on to the many incoming ships of all kinds. Freighters, fishing boats, and transport ships littered the waters of the docks like ants as they navigated around each other in almost perfect unison.

A few more moments of bickering revealed that Weiss was more than likely to have been scouting out for the tournaments' incoming competition, the façade of her statement that she was a 'representative' welcoming them to the Kingdom was seen right through as an opportunity to study what fighters she could be up against. Weiss was about to interject but instead their attention was caught on another sight as they moved around the nearest corner.

"What happened?" Ruby piped up, watching as two rather slim, suited men stood around the shattered glass. A bright yellow tape spread around the area where they stood, one of the men turned his head, scratching his beard briefly before returning to his data pad.

"Robbery. Second Dust shop to be hit this week, this place is turning into a jungle."

"That's terrible…" Yang mumbled, looking towards the destroyed shop, and she wondered if Cyprus might have been there to at least try and stop it. Thinking back that gave her more reason to assume he would still be in his dorm when they checked, unless something happened to the pair of them.

"They left all the money again…" The second detective moaned, rubbing his thumbs along the inside of his suspenders and looking inside the damaged building. The shattered glass and thrown display cabinets gave no indication of the motive behind the theft.

"Yeah it just doesn't make a lick o'sense. Who needs that much Dust?" The elder officer replied with a soft shake of his head.

"I dunno, you know what I mean?"

"You thinking White Fang?"

"Yeah, I'm thinking we don't get paid enough."

The pair chuckled and returned to their duties, leaving the four girls to watch as they wandered back inside the store to look for more hints as to the whereabouts of the assailants. As they left Weiss took a step forward, her high, expensive heels crackled in the glass as she stepped to the boundary and looked in disgust.

"Ugh, the White Fang. What an awful bunch of degenerates."

"What's your problem?" Blake interjected, giving the Heiress a look of disapproval as she moved closer, amber eyes narrowing as she furrowed her brow. Behind them, the two sisters quickly took a step back, gulping and keeping their mouths shut as they both knew not to jump into yet another argument.

"My problem? I simply don't care for the criminally insane." She replied, her mouth slightly agape as she turned to look at her teammate. A hand raised in the air in a typically uptight way. Blake clenched her fist, and moved closer to the other student so that their faces were inches from each other.

"The White Fang is hardly a bunch of psychopaths. They're a collection of misguided Faunus."

"Misguided!?" The pair continued their heated debate, leaving Ruby and Yang to feel increasingly uncomfortable and wonder what they could do to stop the both of them. Thankfully, Blake changed her topic to the reasoning behind the accusation.

"Either way, it doesn't explain why they would rob a Dust shop in the middle of downtown Vale." The quiet girl remarked, her eyes scanning the wreckage and watching as the detectives looked around aimlessly. Meanwhile Ruby began to look towards the ground, shuffling her feel lightly together.

"Blake's got a point. Besides, the police never caught that Torchwick guy me and Cyprus ran into a few months ago…" Her silver iris's lifted back to the site in front of them. "Maybe it was him." The moment however was short lived as Weiss took it upon herself to play the blame game once again.

"That still doesn't change the fact that the White Fang are a bunch of scum." She lifted her nose and closed her eyes, content in her accusations much to Blake's detest of what was in her view, pure ignorance. "Those Faunus only know how to lie, cheat and steal." The rest of the group was about to interject, however as soon as Yang began to open her mouth something else had caught their attention.

"Hey, stop that Faunus!" A rough, grizzled voice could be heard behind them, followed by the thumping and crashing of metal. The four girls quickly turned back and ran towards the sounds, where they noticed a rather convenient, if unexpected sight. Two men in grey work clothes turned a corner on one of the larger ships anchored at the dock, where above them a young man with a completely unbuttoned shirt swooped down and landed in front of them before hoofing it. His blonde, untidy hair rustled as the air brushed past him, black and yellow skate shoes thumped against the metal deck as he sped onto the ledge and leaped with ease onto the wooden pier. His thin, yellow tail curling and twisting as he kept his balance.

"Thanks for the ride, guys!" He chuckled, giving the pair chasing him a mischievous grin as he continued to make his rushed escape. Although the girls were unable to hear the entirety of the other's remarks, the word stowaway caught their attention, and continued to watch as the monkey Faunus let himself hang upside down from one of the nearby streetlights. A banana in hand and his tail wrapped firmly around the metal pipe, one wondered how it even managed to hold his weight.

A few more moments passed and the girls saw the monkey Faunus make his way past the group, giving Blake a quick, near impossible to see wink of his left eye. And if not for her cat-like reflexes she probably would've missed his eyes meeting hers entirely, the others stunned as he sped past them with his open shirt rustling against the air.

"Quick! After him!" Weiss shouted, already running after the rapscallion and beckoning her friends to follow. Giving chase to the Faunus a few dozen meters behind the detectives who had also began to hunt him down.

As the three girls turned the nearby corner to keep up with the Heiress, they heard a grunt followed by an oddly metallic clang. Weiss, ignoring the lapse in her movement, proceeded to look up and pout as the stowaway made his escape around the next street.

"No! He got away!"

"Uh…Weiss?" Yang mumbled, pointing to the mass beneath the other girl, cringing slightly.

The privileged girl gave a yelp as she jumped off her obstacle. Beneath her she saw another young girl, lying in a pencil straight position on the ground, and beaming despite the situation she had found herself in.

"Sal-u-tations!" The floored girl chimed, an oddly excited and happy tone rang in her voice as she waved at the group from her current position. Her bright green eyes switching between the gazes of each girl in the team. With raised brows Yang was the first to reply after a moments pause,

"Are you….Okay?" She said, unsure of how to react to the sight of the freckled girl, her pink bow shaking slightly as she lifted her head, smile unfaltering.

"I am wonderful! Thank you for asking!" Her rather loud voice caused the group to jump in surprise as she continued her wide grin.

"Do you wanna get up?" The brawler winced at even having to continue the incredibly awkward and one sided conversation, thankfully the young girl agreed, placing her hands backwards on the floor and flicking herself into the air, landing perfectly on her feet. Her white sleeved arms were placed tightly at her side as if a soldier stood at attention, and her grey and black outfit was tipped with neon green lining, giving her a completely unknown sense of where she might be from if not a local.

"My name is Penny! It's a pleasure to meet you!" As she spoke the four took a large step back, watching as her bright orange hair bounced and stayed in perfect shape on her head as if artificially created.

' _At least she has the manners to introduce herself'_ Weiss thought as each member replied, save for Yang who gave a rather rude comment, before a swift elbow from Blake left her introducing her own name to the mystery girl.

"It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"You already said that."

The ginger girl paused for a moment, eyes looking upwards as if trying to see inside her own head, before staring right back at Weiss. "So I did!"

"Well, sorry for running into you!" The ponytailed huntress replied, eager to abandon the overly cheerful girl and get back to their business.

"Oh wait, friend!" Ruby exclaimed as the group turned, running back close to Penny she took out her scroll from the white pouch attached to her waist. It expanded and the screen began to glow blue as she turned it on, skimming over multiple pictures until she found a suitable image. "Have you seen this girl?"

Penny's eyes widened at the opportunity to be of assistance, bouncing up and down with glee and holding a palm over her mouth to stifle a squeal.

"Oh! Oh! I've seen her!"

"Really?! Where!?" Yang exclaimed, rushing up to the couple as the others began another heated conversation about the White Fang. The sister's eyes widened in anticipation for their new ally's answer.

"Right over there!" She lifted a finger and pointed to the other side of the street. Right beside them was Scylla, or what they believed to be her. Staring across the road to the smashed window of the Dust store, the young woman stood completely silent. Unmoving and barely even blinking, the bags under her eyes were noticeable from here and her normally tidy, overly stylish red hair was now frizzled and scruffier than it had seemingly ever been.

Watching Blake storm down the road, Yang began to jog quickly after only to stop dead as she realized the team member had walked right past their formerly missing friend. Turning to Weiss the brawler noticed she had quickly given chase, continuing the argument from before and further worsening the situation for the two. Shaking it off the other trio headed for Scylla, and placed a hand lightly on her shoulder.

"Where have you been? We were looking for…" She paused, mouth agape and instantly filled with worry as the student looked at her friends' pale, unwashed face. Her eyes lay still on the shop window, and Yang was unsure she had even been noticed.

"I can't find him." The hacker mumbled, barely audible and her lips parting just slightly to let the noise through.

"Find who?" Ruby interjected, looking around before her eyes met Penny's', who simply shrugged with the exact same smile.

"They took Cyprus…"

"Cyprus?"

"Who took him?"

"Where is he?"

The four girls stood in complete silence for a few moments, and only the loud, increasingly tense fighting between the black and white members of RWBY filled the air. At least, until Penny began to speak, unaware of the situation at hand.

"Am I really your friend?"


	15. Chapter 15: Lost

"He was here! This is where the feed cut out…" Scylla paused, her tired eyes distraught as they gazed over the inconspicuous locale. Her head threw itself towards the inactive camera placed on the side of the run down structure. The grey wall made it less noticeable as the small device only had the black lens to contrast against the surface, as the rest of its small metal casing was nearly the exact same colour.

"I thought you had cameras everywhere?" Ruby piped, Yang close behind and Penny jogging after, a spring still in her step as she followed.

"I-I-I do!" Her voice cracked, the other girls could tell Scylla hadn't gotten a wink of sleep since the event. Her armour was roughly attached as if she hadn't even cared to ensure all the plates and straps were in the right place, the leather that attached the metal to her hung from her clothing, dangling and swaying as she moved. Its seafoam colouring hadn't been cleaned in a good few days and the a few specks of dust were still present and the group could see where the sun failed to glint off it as the girl moved. "They used something, I don't know what but they killed all my cameras in a half mile radius! White Fang was there and some other guys and they-"

"Scylla, relax. We'll help however we can." Yang approached her friend and held their hands together, stopping the panicked girl from flailing them around anymore and looking into her piercing blue eyes the brawler noticed the redness that they held. The whites of her eyes now bloodshot and rheumy, and the dark patched beneath them looked more like a horrible makeup job, than the exhaustion and fatigue that they represented.

The two sisters watched on as Scylla turned away, her hands making swift, ecstatic motions as she retraced her steps and explained everything that had happened. The pale, sickly tone of her skin emphasised her fear for the missing friend as she wandered back towards the alleyway.

"W-We need a plan, a good one! Maybe, ambush the next people that try to rob a store, maybe check cameras and follow them or…"

"If you would like a lead on the robberies, there's an event that might assist you!"

The sudden appearance of the cheery ginger girl caused the group to quickly jolt in surprise, Scylla charging in an instant with her nose pressing against hers, eyes staring deep into her mild green disks. "Tell me! Tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me!" The girl shouted, gripping the others' shoulder and vigorously shaking her back and forth. Taking Yang and Ruby to pull her off, they finally gave Penny room to make a cheery reply.

"Gladly! "She began, taking a step back before standing quickly at attention, her feet placed tightly together as she lifted a dainty finger into the air, closing her eyes briefly and lifting her nose upwards ever so slightly. "There is a large dust shipment to replace the lost stock making its' way to the docks on Monday. If you like you can check to see if there are any leads to finding your lost friend there!"

"I can't wait until Monday!" Scyllas' excited look turned to a scowl, turning around and gripping her messy hair between her fingers, feeling as if she could just tear the strands from her scalp.

"Scylla, don't worry. I'm sure we'll find him, he's not exactly the type to go down without a fight anyway." Yang gave a light-hearted chuckle, although she knew that the vigilante's brash nature would probably get him into more trouble than help him return to the group.

"Come on, we need to head back, you're about to collapse if you keep this up." The blonde took the girl by the hand and slowly guided her away, a soothing smile on her face as her sister followed.

"Thanks for your help Penny!" Ruby waved, jogging behind the other two as she gave a wave goodbye to the new girl. Penny gave a quick, sudden wave back to the girl before her hands fell beside her, rocking back and forth on feet before turning and walking away with a spring in her step. The curled, tidy hair bouncing with each step she took.

" _I made a friend!"_

* * *

 _Several hours earlier_

"Okay, not my best fight."

"Shut your mouth, make sure he can't move."

"Relax, cupcake. You've tied my hands, blindfolded me and if I feel like if I give any more backtalk you'll strip me down and spank me with a riding crop."

The pair looked to each other, the dim atmosphere inside the truck leaving only the passing streetlights to cover them every few seconds as they drove out of the main city. The more unique pair sat on either side of Cyprus, giving each other a disgusted look as they held the loudmouth in place.

"Not that I'd complain abou- Ungh!" His next statement was stopped by a swift fist to the gut, the wind quickly knocked from his lungs he struggled to draw breath, crouching over before being pushed back against the soft upholstery by a rough hand.

"I said shut your mouth!" He shouted, his gruff, aggravated tone pierced the air around them. Cyprus was surprised at the constant quiet treatment he was receiving from the person at his side, judging by the feel of her hand around his left arm and the scent of perfume, he guessed it was a woman.

"No need to be rough, I'm not going anywhere!" He let out a chuckle, unable to keep straight faced despite the serious situation he was in, being kidnapped seemed like such a surreal concept he found it unbelievable that it was actually happening.

"Yeah, damn right you're not."

"What about your lady friend's opinion? Usually the quiet ones' are the cutest."

"I think you're vile." She suddenly piped up, brushing a strand of Jade hair from her eyes as she looked out the window, not wanting any more contact with their prisoner.

"And I think you're rude, so now we're even." He let out a soft chuckle as he turned to face her, and would have given the girl a wink had it not been for the black fabric covering his eyes. "Oh lighten up, you've already got me, usually winners are a lot more cheerful." The captive wondered how long he had been out, from what he could tell, the sun was just rising over the horizon and looking ahead he could feel the light through his blindfold.

"We're here, out of the car." The male grumbled, opening his door and dragging Cyprus from the back seat, holding him close as he tightly gripped his arm and shoved him across the dirt. No idea where he was, he listened to the rustling of leaves and the bickering of many a person. A few moments of travelling brought the group, followed by a small crowd of lightly armoured individuals to a large tent. A rectangular wooden table lay in the middle of the structure, and three more rather important looking individuals stood on the opposite side, their heads raising at the entrance of the others.

"Well, look who it is."

"Oh I know that voice, how are you Torchwick?" Cyprus chuckled, raising his eyebrows under the blindfold as he greeted his enemy, before letting out a groan at the sudden realization of his position.

"Look at you, the famous vigilante of Vale! You're a lot more pathetic than the media makes you out to be." The criminal let out a sly laugh, grinning and watching the young man intensely, gripping his cane tightly in his fist. Behind him however, a young woman, no older than her mid-twenties stood wide eyed. A tight red dress hugged her curvy figure, leaving her long, slender legs exposed as she stood in black high heels.

"Well, the news likes to exaggerate. I could say the same ab-"He was cut off, a rough, instant right hook brought the boy to his knees, cheek swelling briefly before his light green aura quickly began repairing the damage.

"You worm, I've been wanting to do this for a long time."

"Roman." The woman said, flatly, trying to get through to the egotistical man.

"You've been a thorn in my side too long, I can't wait to take you down for good."

"Roman."

Torchwick quickly took his foot and struck his heavy boot across Cyprus's face, the silver haired male throwing him to the ground and allowing the stylish thief to have a few more brutal hits.

"You think a new coat of paint and some nice looking outfit makes you better?" He growled, snarling as his eyes, surrounded by dark makeup looked his captive's body up and down. Observing the much different look he held. The shining metal plates over his shoulders and wrist glimmered in the light, with his leather vest hugging his torso, trimmed with the forest green matching his hood and the long strips that dangled from the belt.

"Roman, stop." The final sentence from the lead woman in the room caught Cyrpus's ears, his head tilted as he heard the voice, furrowing his brow as he focused on the sounds she made.

"Yes, ma'am." He responded to the commanding tone, swiping the boys' confiscated weapon from his captors grasp he held it tight in his clenched fist. The mysterious young lady made her way close to Cyprus, fiery amber iris's scanning his body as she pushed the criminal out of the way.

"It's been a while since I've seen someone like you." She uttered, her voice a hushed whisper as she trailed her fingers along the boys' cheek, causing him to lean away slightly.

"Have we met?" He asked, trying to figure out what the woman might look like, to no avail as she quickly moved away. Her tight red clothing showing her curves as she stepped back towards the table, her eyes gently closed as she waved a hand to her side.

"We might have. Roman, take him away."

"Gladly, any preference?"

"Leave him somewhere noticeable, maybe the docks. You're heading there tomorrow night anyway, aren't you?" She smirked, her hips swaying as she swing back around to the other side of the table, a large, paper map stuck to its surface.

Clouds began to cover the surface of the sky, filling the atmosphere with a dreary mist as the sun disappeared from view, the leaves rustling and leaving a cold atmosphere that made Cyprus just that little bit more nervous as he heard the others take a few steps away. "Let me guess, you're going to knock me out again."

"What gave it away?" One of the other women asked, cracking her knuckles and chuckling softly to herself.

"Mostly the silence, but I mean there's also that fact th-"His words were stopped as the tanned woman struck him hard across the face, causing the vigilante to grunt in pain before chuckling, turning his face toward her. "Oh come on, you're not even gonna let me finish?" He was about to laugh once more if not for the cold, steel boot smashing him in the back, sending him to the floor.

"Take it outside you three, I don't want blood on the carpet." The mysterious woman stated, furrowing her brow before turning her back, gazing at the many papers plastered against a board behind her. Roman grabbed Cyprus by the neck, dragging him outside before throwing him onto the cold, damp ground.

Back inside the tent the woman, now with her arms folded, took a deep sigh as she looked down at the floor. Another masked man appeared beside her, a long, dark coat with a sheathed sword at his side. "So, you know him then?"

"I used to. It doesn't matter now, let's stay focused."

* * *

"Blake? Blake!?" The two sisters continued to shout aimlessly through the streets, catching the attention of nearly every single person that passed them by. Scylla decided against more mindless shouting and simply kept up with eh group, eyeing buildings and alleyways for any clue as to the other missing girls' whereabouts.

"Weiss, you're not helping!" Ruby grumbled, turning to face their teammate she pleaded for her to assist more in their search.

The disappearance of the newly discovered Faunus girl happened suddenly during the night, their heated debate over the White Fang left Blake with no other choice but to lash out, revealing her identity in the process. With the young girl running quickly out of the dorms, she hadn't returned since and it had left the four in desperate need of answers as they searched tirelessly.

"You're going to yell at me but not her?" The Heiress gasped, pointing to the quiet redhead as she stood lazily behind the trio, her hair tidy and her body much more relaxed than the previous day. However she was still visibly shaken by the experience, and the others' knew it, Yang whispered just out of Scylla's earshot.

"She's already lost one friend, she doesn't need to worry about looking for another."

"Well why don't we call the Police?"

"Weiss."

"It was just an idea!"

"Yeah, a bad one." Ruby's expression turned bitter as she continued walking down the main street.

"I think we should hear her side of the story before jumping to conclusions." Yang said, quickly following behind her sister.

"I think when we hear it you'll all realize I was right!"

"And I think Scylla is looking much better today!" A sudden voice appeared behind the four making their way further down the path.

"Penny? What are you doing here?" She asked, her tired eyes widening in surprise as the others jumped at the surprising appearance of their recently made friend.

"Hello again! What are you up to?" She piped, her usual, cheery look giving the group a much needed light-heartedness to battle the situation.

"We're looking for our friend, Blake…" Yang stated in a soft tone, her eyes drifted to the floor as she held a hand over her other forearm.

"Oh no! You lost another one? Does this happen often? It's okay you can tell me." The ginger girl leant forward, her noticeable wink to Ruby could've been seen a mile away due to how obvious it was. Her perfectly shaped hair bounced as she sprung back into her straight posture, raising her hand as it to swear an oath. "Worry not Ruby my friend, I won't rest until we find your teammates!" Ruby however wasn't exactly eager to have yet another helping hand involved in the mess the girls found themselves in.

"Ah, that's really nice of you but…We're okay, really! Right guys?" She looked around to her other helpers, who had vanished. Save for Scylla, who now had her head poking into a nearby store, her eyes staring intensely at each person before she pulled away, leaving a building of very confused individuals. Letting out a deep sigh, the red hooded girl let her arms droop as she turned, beckoning Penny to follow as she continued her search.

A few hours passed as night began to fall over the city, clouds clearing and letting the soft glow of the moonlight seep through, painting the town in a dim light in the areas not littered with street lamps. Penny had gone her own way in search of their friends, leaving Ruby to wander the near empty streets with Scylla, who was now looking more tired with each passing minute.

"Scylla…That's a trash can."

"I know, I thought he might be in there."

"In….pieces?"

"No, drunk. He gets like that sometimes." Her flat, one note sentences left Ruby uncomfortable, taking the girls' arm she slowly dragged her away from the metal bucket, guiding her slowly down the street. The very light patter of rainfall littered their outfits, not nearly enough to leave them with any noticeable soakage, however.

"That sounds familiar." Ruby looked down to the floor, thinking back to times when things were not always simple, but a lot less stressful than their current predicament. Beacon for the most part, had been a wonderful experience with her, but the many hiccups along the way stuck in her mind and lingered for her to constantly be thinking about. She was about to say something when a loud, distant explosion could be heard not too far away, the thick, rising smoke alerting the two.

"Oh no…" Ruby hurried to speed away and alert Scylla, only to see her already sprinting to the site, her weapon drawn and extended into it's sharp, trident form.

* * *

"Alright, so, just leaving me on the docks huh? Simple enough." Cyprus mumbled, the racket of the engines whirring as they sped into the city left him to simply lay back with the blindfold still on his head. Despite his comical nature, he wasn't feeling good. No food for a day and a half left him feeling weak, and with his hands almost constantly tied behind his back that entire time, the metal bindings around his wrist leaving his arms scarred and cut.

"Well of course, but we can either drop you from this height, or shoot you once we land. It's really up to you." Roman let out a sly grin, his eyes fixed on the boy as he toyed with his cane, flipping the small, contracted weapon in his other free hand. The small metallic tube just smaller than his forearm in length, twirled easily as he threw it in the air.

"Well I don't suppose there's any way to talk you of that is there?"

"Pleading for your life, are ya?" The criminal let out a hearty laugh and with his cane in hand, struck Cyprus once again across the face, his body now bruised and beaten, his aura drained. Spitting out a small amount of blood from a cut in the inside of his cheek, he grinned and laughed to himself.

"Pleading would have me on my knees, I'm just asking, Orange boy." His quick, sassy reply was unfortunately only met with another hit to his chin, his head reeling back and resting on the metal plating inside the airship. A few moments of silence and a voice cracked over the intercom.

"We're coming into the extraction point, guards are scarce we should be fine." The gruff voice croaked, a loud beep and yellow flashing lights appeared as one of the several airships began to set itself down over the clearing in the docks. Surrounded by shipping crates of all shapes and sizes, each holding their own specific payloads, the hangar doors opened with a loud hiss.

"Alright, get out."

"Yeah yeah, I'm going. So what's your plan with all this?"

"That's our business."

"Oh come on Torchwick, you're putting a bullet in my head in about a minute, might as well tell me."

"You're expecting your little friends to come save you, aren't ya, kid?"

"I mean there's always a chance."

The two continued their exchange as Cyprus found himself thrown to his knees, his hands behind him and the blindfold not removed once since its initial placement, he wondered what his last moments would even look like.

The cold air brushed past them as more White Fang soldiers began to spread out over the concrete, heading to the many crates and searching for their prize, why there were no guards was mind boggling, and very unfortunate for the young man as he heard a click behind him. Airships soared overhead as cables dangling from their metal hulls became attached to the new found Dust crates, readying for take-off.

"Sorry, but that only happens in comic books. Welcome to the real world, _Vigilante."_

The metal barrel of Romans' cane pressed against his enemies head, a sly grin on his face as it tapped his skull, the circular red sights flipping just to make sure he wouldn't miss.

"Get it over with then, you posh, fake eyelash wearing piece of s-"

 _ **BANG.**_


	16. Chapter 16: Found

Blake lay down over the roof of the tall building, gazing down towards the docks as the shadows of night covered her body. The Faunus she had become acquainted to not long after her fleeing of Beacon had been a great help to her over the past few hours, not only in assisting her in finding out the truth about the White Fang and the robberies, but also as a source of company. Blake was a solitary person, but even she needed a friend to keep her on her feet from time to time.

"Did I miss anything?" The Faunus boy asked, taking a seat beside her after a brief absence.

"Not really, they've offloaded all the crates from the boat. But now they're just sitting there." She replied, something wasn't right here and she knew it. The pair looked on towards the many metal containers littering the docks in neat piles, more than most painted with the Schnee Dust logo.

The boys' untidy blond hair rustled with a turn of his head as he handed an apple to Blake, "Cool. I stole you some food!" He chirped, in an effort to lighten the mood.

"Do you always break the law without a second thought?"

"Hey, weren't you in a cult or something?" He replied, cheekily. An uncomfortable silence quickly followed as the young huntress shot him a cold stare, her brow furrowing and prompting her new friend to back up.

"Okay, too soon."

Their petty exchange of banter was soon cut off however, as a powerful and sudden gust of wind almost blew them off of the building they were stationed at. The high pitched sound of turbines catching their attention, the duo turned their heads to see a large, grey transport ship hover over the docks.

"Looks like we'll find out who's behind this soon enough." Blake stated, her eyes fixed on the landing craft, its long, thin wings more akin to fins than wings. With two large, rotating tubular engines on each end the large cylindrical belly of the ship slowly descended.

Unfortunately for Blake, her fears were answered as the first few to step out of the ship, were clear members of the White Fang, their black uniforms and white vests, topped with a hood and grey mask covering the top halves of their face. Some carrying petty weapons and the odd one or two carrying a light pistol or machine gun.

"You didn't really think they were behind it, did you?" Sun asked, giving Blake an empathetic grimace as even he could feel her gut wrenching at the sight of her former allies.

"No. I think deep down I knew, I just didn't want to be right." A tear began to well up in the corner of her eye, however something else quickly caught her attention, and the other Faunus saw her depressed look turn to a snarl as she heard the voice.

"You're expecting your little friends to come save you, aren't ya, kid?" The familiar look of the stylish criminal was the last person Blake wanted to see, and a fire burned in her heart as she stood up, before noticing the conversation taking place below.

"Who's that?" Sun asked, crunching the apple in his mouth and chewing.

"Roman Torchwick and….Cyprus?!" She exclaimed, her amber eyes shooting open as she quickly rose to her feet, leaning over the building's rooftop and spying down on the missing person.

"Who?"

"We have to get down there, come on!" She looked back for a moment before drawing her weapon, the jet black blade extending as she made her descent down the side of the building. With the monkey Faunus struggling to keep up, the pair snuck quickly between the large containers, keeping out of sight of the White Fang lackeys that moved through the neat makeshift alleys.

"Who is he? What's going on?" He repeated, nudging Blake in the side as they rounded a corner, their heads popping out just out of view of a few other members of the group, Torchwick pushing the young man to his knees. Blake could make out his beaten and bloody face, purple and swollen she noticed the red cuts around his wrists where the metal bindings had chafed and scraped at his flesh.

"He went missing a couple of days ago. I thought the others would have found him by now but…Oh no."

She stood, stunned at the turn of events, she quickly ran from cover at the sight of the criminals' weapon raising at Cyprus's head. With speed unmatched, the young woman dove towards Roman, swiping her blade and knocking his staff upwards slightly. Leaving the shot to sail just over his captives' head, clipping one of his lackeys in the leg, downing him as he clutched at the sudden shot.

"Nobody move! Let him go!" She shouted, spinning around quickly with her body near to the ground, only to almost immediately jolt herself upwards, holding her blade to Torchwicks' neck and standing just behind him. Her meat-shield held at her mercy as the others pointed their weapons at the two.

"The hell? Am I dead? Because hell seems a whole lot like real life at the moment!" Cyprus turned his head, trying to get a read on what was happening around him, swishing his head in hopes to loosen the blindfold around his face.

"Brothers of the White Fang, why are you aiding this scum?" Blake asked, throwing her bow off of her head, revealing the small and triangular, feline ears atop her head. As she spoke and revealed herself, she noticed many of the members take a step back, lowering their weapons just slightly.

"Cyprus, are you okay? Sun, get him out of those binds!"

"No, not really. But hey, thanks for coming! I hope you brought snacks!" He let out a light chuckle before wincing as smiling was something that, after the many beatings, left him almost unable to do.

"Heh, oh kid, didn't you get the memo? The White Fang and I are going in on a joint business venture together." Roman chuckled, seemingly unphased by being held at the Faunus girls' sharp blade.

"Tell me what it is or I'll put an end to your little operation." Blake snarled, holding the edge against his neck as she spoke, patience wearing thin.

As Sun quickly sprinted across the concrete, he slid down to quickly free Cyprus from his prison, removing the blindfold and quickly tearing the thin chains of the cuffs, leaving the metal rings around his wrists as he moved his arms for what felt like the first time in weeks.

"Yeah, can't see, too bright! Too bright!" He exclaimed, closing his eyes quickly as his weekend experience in total darkness left him completely unaccustomed to any form of light. Falling to his hands and knees he was quickly helped up by the other male, who was about to quickly lead him to safety were it not for the blaring engines that appeared nearby.

"I wouldn't exactly call it a _little_ operation…" The thief grinned, looking up to see almost a dozen ships identical to his own make their way towards the docks, their turbines blaring overhead.

With Sun completely out of sight for the moment, Cyprus was left wandering around aimlessly, waving his hands around in the hopes of regaining his vision soon. Meanwhile, the doors of the ships opened up, allowing more and more White Fang members to leap from the holding bay of the ships, landing on the ground and surrounding the group. Torchwick smirked as Cyprus moved closer, flicking a switch on his cane he pointed it at the ground. And with a pull of the trigger, send an explosive Dust round straight at their feet, sending the two flying in opposite directions. Blake flew one way whilst Torchwick only stumbled, prepared for the coming explosion.

"Argh! Damnit!" The vigilante let out a cry, hitting the ground hard as the force of the impact pummelled his already bashed frame, hearing a crack he gritted his teeth and stood up, adrenaline nullifying the pain as the area around him ever so slowly began to come back into view. Before more explosive rounds caught him off guard and sending him stumbling around, moving through the group fighting amidst the chaos.

* * *

Scylla, Ruby and Penny quickly made their way towards a nearby rooftop, clambering up a stairwell to get a decent vantage point of the docks. The breeze blowing full through their hair, and the loose parts of their clothing fluttered as the group made it to the edge.

Looking down the first thing they saw was a large shipping container slamming into the ground from at least five stories, the metal clanging and crushing under the sudden shock of the impact. With White Fang littering the area, Scylla noticed Cyprus aimlessly making his way around, bumping into the crate and falling over as the white coated crook held his gun towards an unknown character.

"Hey!"

"Well hello, Red!" He began, his head turning as he noticed the small, familiar young girl atop the building. "Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"Cyprus!" Scylla exclaimed, jolting past the other two and making her way swiftly towards her friend, rage burning in her eyes as she fired pot-shots along the way from the Crossbow freshly formed in her hands. Knocking down member after member as if working past training dummies, she stormed to her friend and quickly took his arm over her shoulder.

"Ow! Okay, figured out what I broke!" He yelped as his companion took him away from the action.

"Ruby? Are these people your friends?" Penny asked, looking down to the nerve wracking battle taking place below.

"Penny get back!" She turned to face the girl, her exposed back however provided Torchwick with an opening, and firing a well-placed shot he hit the scythe-wielder dead on. Her body flailed in the air and landed at Penny's feet, the shock leaving the poor girl stunned on the rooftop.

"What did you do to him!?" Scylla screamed, setting her friend down beside the container and twirling her crossbow in her hand. Its metal folding and shifting with smooth motions, the three points of her trident extended and folded neatly into a sleek, modern shape.

"He was being a nuisance, now I suggest you keep your boyfriend out of our business before I plant a bullet between his eyes!"

Scylla's snapped, her ocean blue eyes popping out as she charge at the man. Her Trident swinging and twirling through the air she let loose on Roman with unprecedented rage, the metal of their weapons clashed and clanged, sending sparks flying with each swing.

Roman's skills in battle weren't to be trifled with, but Scylla was faster and she knew it. Her semblance finally coming into effect, she watched as the movements of their bodies slowed to a crawl. The young woman felt like she was surrounded by a thick liquid as she moved, watching Torchwicks' attacks and countering on every front. Moving to every opening she could find and blocking before he had even a chance to ready his next counter. Jabbing, striking and spinning her weapon, she landed hit after hit on the man and left him exposed for a final strike, his cane almost falling out of his grasp as he stumbled.

Her body spinning, her Trident slid down from her reach as she grabbed the end of the long, metal pole, feeling the encrusted stones and swinging her arm in a wide berth. Her semblance ending, the speed of battle returned to normal and she watched the thief fall backwards, the clockwise strike sending him flat onto his back. Cyprus's weapon fell from his grip as she picked it from the air without a second thought.

"Ouch. Lady if you didn't want your boyfriend dead you should have kept him out of our way!" Roman chuckled, quickly returning to his feet and retreating to a nearby craft as he noticed another arrival quickly dispatching of several of his men, at least a dozen swords twirling and spinning in the air.

Snarling, Scylla watched as the criminal made his escape, and turning to her friend threw his own device without a second thought. "Heads up!"

Cyprus, now on the ground, was slowly becoming surrounded by a half dozen White Fang members. As his weapon flew through the air, his head raised as he looked for it, only to have it strike him in the forhead.

"Ow! Oh yeah sure, throw something for the _blind_ guy to catch! Real clever!" His eyes still far from used to the light, he fumbled with the small device to find its access point.

"Oh for…Blake! Help!" The redhead cried out, running to the injured boy and looking towards the Faunus, now checking virally for the other one who had quickly disappeared without a trace. Her attention caught, she joined with Scylla as they effortlessly dispatched of the remaining members.

"Alright now just…Whoa." The pair turned to see Penny zoom past, cables pulling her away to the far building as she moved to a crouching stance. The floating blades spun in a circle in front of her as a blinding green light emanating from the centre. After a mere moment she punched the air with both fists, sending the light into two separate beams, the energy slicing through two of the fleeing ships. The group watched on in disbelief as they were sliced in two, sending the four broken pieces soaring into the ocean behind them.

"Hey you wanna tell me what's happening? I still can't see jack!" Cyprus grumbled, rising slowly to his feet and placing a hand on the metal. "No? Okay sure I'll just hang out here! Just…About to…" He didn't finish, the exhaustion and fatigue taking over, he slid from his standing position and quickly fell to the ground. His blurred vision turned to blackness as he felt his body crumble and his conscious state disappear.

* * *

"He'll be alright, just make sure he gets plenty of rest. His aura should recover and help him heal, but I don't recommend taking him out clubbing for at least a couple of weeks."

"Of course, thank you."

"Are you sure you don't want him taken to hospital? It would really be the best option."

"I'm sure, he'll be alright with us."

Cyprus awoke to the hazy conversation, his ears ringing slightly as he opened his eyes. His vision felt like someone had covered his head in plastic wrap, the blurry, faded characters surrounding him were barely recognizable as he looked around.

"Morning everyone, what did I miss?" He leant up slightly, his entire body aching as he rose up. His arm was now in a hastily made sling and was set along his stomach, and he winced in pain as he felt the stinging feeling as he shuffled his placement of it.

"You, lie down." Scylla chuckled, gently pushing his less damaged side to lean him back down onto his makeshift bed, a warm smile on her face as she lay him into a horizontal position. Blake and Ruby stood nearby, sighing with relief as his the ordeal hadn't destroyed his light heartedness.

"Feeling better, Cyprus?" Ruby giggled, leaning over and placing her cheerful smile right in direct view of the vigilante.

"I felt fine the entire time!"

"You almost died." Blake stated, shaking her head and trying her hardest not to let out a smile.

"Exactly! _Almost,_ but I didn't! Therefore, I'm fine."

The group laughed softly and Cyprus let out a cough, groaning again and bumping the back of his already bruised head on the wooden bench he was placed on. The cool night air soothed his beaten body, and he noticed most of his armour was missing. The shining pauldrons and Vambraces missing, as well as the leg armour that usually rested along the outside of his thighs and along his shins.

"So…Who are you?"

"Cyprus."

"Sun."

"But it's night time."

"Funny."

"I like to think so."

The pair exchanged the small amount of banter, the dumb witted response bringing Scylla to roll her eyes, thankfully his attention was turned away from terrible jokes when he heard Ruby's voice pipe up again.

"…Not what you think she explained the whole thing you see she doesn't actually wear a bow she has kitty ears and they're actually kinda cute-"

Weiss and Yang finally made their way to the scene, the Heiress standing straight as the confronted the Faunus, Yang spotting Cyprus and quickly dashing to his side.

"Oh my gosh, you found him!? Where was he?" She exclaimed, leaning over and almost grabbing the young man before noticing his battered state.

"Who is that? I can't see properly I need to…Use touch…" Cyprus stifled a laugh, looking away from the blurred figure as she gazed over him. Running her fingers through his teal hair, she gulped and sighed as she fell for his trap. His hand raising not to feel the features of her face, but quickly moving towards her vulnerable chest, giving a playful squeeze before she could stop him. "Oh, hey Yang."

"If you weren't in this state I would beat your face in." She smiled, gently moving his hand away from her body.

"Good to see you too, sugar." He let out another chuckle and closed his eyes, his mission accomplished as he rested his arm by his side.

A few minutes passed and the group listened carefully to the banter between Blake and Weiss, seemingly coming to terms with one and another, Scylla let out a sigh of relief as something good had finally come out of this entire ordeal.

"Hey, where's Penny?"

"Miss Superhero? She just walked off a minute ago, even I saw that!" Cyprus called out, raising a hand and pointing to the left as a stylish, black car quickly sped away from view, leaving the rest of the group one person down as they stood in a small circle together.

"Oh hey, I almost forgot!" Scylla began, in an effort to lighten the mood. "Coco invited me to a party at her dorm tonight, it's only nine-thirty, so we can still make it if you wanna tag along, Yang."

"Coco?" Yang asked, her brow raising but the mention of a party caught her attention.

"Team CFVY, second years." Weiss stated, flatly, a look of slight disapproval on her face.

"Question!"

"No, Cyprus, you're not coming in that state."

"You can't keep my away from alcohol, Scyl'!"

* * *

Professor Ozpin sat at his desk, the moon raised in a perfect position behind his head as he looked down to his Scroll, the transparent device flashing dim lights as he tapped the screen quickly. His small glasses hung on the bridge of his nose as he shuffled in his seat, eyes fixated on the message displayed.

 _Queen has pawns._

 _\- Qrow._

He hummed softly as he read the short statement, his expression still his focused, unfeeling stare. Sipping his coffee he leant back into his desk, his device held in an upright position on his desk as he tapped a small button and began to swipe quickly to another piece of information.

"What's the situation?" A voice asked, Glynda appearing from the elevator at the other end of the room, she slowly walked across the grey carpet her black miniskirt shifting slightly as she stepped forward, folding her arms as she reached the foot of the wooden structure.

"We still don't know, but it will reveal itself to us soon enough."

"Someday you're going to have to take action Ozpin, the enemy won't wait for us to be prepared." She sighed, removing her glasses and resting a finger and thumb between her eyes.

"Oh I've been taking action, Glynda. Some plans just take a little longer to go into effect, we just need to be patient." He chuckled lightly, pressing a few more buttons on his screen, he never lifted his eyes towards the huntress for a moment. Instead his screen flickered and two pictures came into view, portraits of Beacons' newest arrivals made themselves known on the screen, white text quickly fading in over the images.

 _Cyprus Haze –_

 _Heir to the now defunct Haze Dust Corporation, battle skill lacking, but remains driven and unmoved by events that would shake most. Excellent stealth skills. Semblance; Conductivity. Recommendation: Continue Training._

 _Scylla Varun –_

 _Shows extensive battle prowess, loyalty and motivation to succeed. Extreme devotion to Haze, relationship unknown. Excellence in multitasking and observation. Semblance: Unknown. Recommendation: Do not split, possible candidate._

Ozpin smiled to himself and began to slowly tap on the screen.

"What are you planning to do?" Glynda asked, her head tilted slightly as she moved to the window behind the headmaster, looking out onto the cloudy night sky.

The bespectacled man to her left looked back to her, if only for a second, before swiping a few more times on his Scroll, the device beeped and chimed as more messages lit up on his device, notifying him of several more suspicious events taking place around the globe. His eyebrow raising he lifted his nose slightly at the fresh screening of words.

"Prepare."


	17. Chapter 17: The Best Remedy

Coco wandered around her home, the large apartment gifted by her parents left her free reign on what happened there, and tonight was a night perfect for a night of celebration. A day off on the following Monday left her free to relax and invite many students in the school over for a relaxing night. With just over two dozen other students enjoying the festivities at her home, the luxurious, modern building seemed to be constantly squeaky clean.

"Thanks for throwing this Coco, I think we all needed a little R and R." Her teammate stated, his large build and tanned skin dwarfing the young woman as he stood beside her, a drink in hand that seemed much smaller than its actual size when in his grasp.

"No worries, sweetheart. It's good to finally have something to do other than study, especially when there are more civilized people to be with." She let out a soft chuckle, taking a sip from a mug she looked around the room. The place was littered with classy chairs and sofas, giving the guest plenty of places to relax. As she stood with her friend, she took a moment to soak in the pleasant atmosphere.

"Hey, Coco? Yastu? You might want to have a look at this!" A voice called out from the other end of the room, turning the music on the nearby stereo down a small amount, she walked across the wooden flooring as the pair headed to the main living area.

"What is it Fox?" The large male asked, his hands resting over the backrest of the sofa as he looked on towards the television. The majority patrons in the room fell quiet as the volume increased.

"… _Eyewitness accounts claim that the man behind the attack was wanted criminal Roman Torchwick,"_ The man on the screen began, sat at a desk his greying hair clearly masked by a wig as he turned to face another of the cameras. " _…And we have a live report from the scene now, Bistre West is at the scene. Bistre, what can you tell us?"_

The scene quickly changed to a young woman not outside of her thirties standing in a rather puffy black jacket, a microphone under her chin she gave the screen a focused stare as she waited for the all clear to begin talking.

" _Yes Tom, it appears that the attack came instantly, security cameras were knocked out around the area and the investigation is still ongoing. The attack was indeed stopped before the assailants could get away with anything of value, and the many White Fang members taken into custody revealed to Police that it was indeed Torchwick who was behind the attack and they are now conducting a City wide search, monitoring air traffic but his current whereabouts still remain unknown."_

A few murmurs emanated from the crowd as they gathered in the lounge, heads turned and worried questions were spoken until a raised hand from team CFVY's leader sent them all into silence.

" _Thankyou Bistre, and that's for this report. Authorities urge anybody who has seen or come into contact with the White Fang or Roman Torchwick, please come forward immediately. We'll be back after this short break."_

As the scene on the television ended and faded to black, a quick knock at the door caused several of the guests to jump in surprise, one squealing before covering his mouth with a hand, drawing the attention of the large group before Coco sighed and made her way to the entrance.

"Who is it?" She called out, leaning back lazily against the wall as she held a finger on a small button, the intercom hissing with static before a reply finally came through.

"Hey, it's Scylla, can we-"

"Hey! Good to see you! Who's this?" Coco quickly gasped and opened the door, stopping in the frame to welcome the new arrival.

"Oh, this is Yang. A friend of mine, you did say we could bring a plus one."

"Hello!" The blonde piped from behind the other girl, her head just nudging over her shoulder with a beaming smile on her face.

"Alright, come on in." The classy young woman let out a small chuckle before holding the door open for the pair. Yang quickly sped inside, looking for something to wet her lips with as she pulled a small cup seemingly out of nowhere.

"Well, she's certainly eager."

Scylla laughed, strolling alongside Coco as they strolled through the main living quarters, the many faces smiled and waved as she passed, some more familiar than others. "She's a party goer, I could hardly leave her out of it, could I?"

"What about your boyfriend?"

"Why does everyone think that?!" Scylla exclaimed, her face flushing red as the girl beside her flashed a cheeky grin. "He had an accident, he's recovering back at the dorms." She shook her head, hiding an obvious smile.

"Oh relax hon," The posh girl chuckled, her hips swaying from side to side as she walked beside the new guest. "I'm just teasing, how do you know him anyway?" She questioned, holding her arms behind her and leaning to the side, walking with her chest facing the other young woman.

"We've been friends for years, nothing special but I was in a rough patch and he pulled me out of it. We just, stuck together ever since." She gave an embarrassed smile, a strand from her neatly tied hair falling free before slowly moving it away from her field of view.

"So, not your boyfriend then?"

Scylla chuckled, sitting herself down on a nearby chair with the other girl taking the one beside it. Her signature sunglasses were for a very rare occasion off her face, revealing her dark hazel eyes. She crossed her legs and leant back slightly in her seat, her hands still holding the drink onto her lap.

"No, not my boyfriend. He wanted to be for a time but…"

"But?"

"He's not exactly my type."

The pair began to laugh, Coco wondering how awkward of a situation that must have been. Shrugging it off, she turned away towards some of the other people in her home, her eyes though still fixed on Scylla. "So, who is your type?"

Scylla blushed heavily and began to stammer, resulting in a sly laugh from the other girl which turned a few heads around the bustling apartment.

"Just messing with you, hon."

Scylla rolled her eyes.

"Hey how come you're both wearing your gear? I don't think there's going to be any kind of fighting going on tonight." Velvet asked, her head peeking over the arm of the luxurious black couch. The redhead looked away for a moment, trying to search for a believable lie before turning back to the other girls.

"Oh, we just…Had some…Extra training?" She replied with strange pauses, as if questioning her own statement. Coco and Velvet gave each other a mischievous grin before turning back, causing the hacker to let out a nervous laugh as her pupils darted back and forth between the two. Thankfully the attention was taken away from her nervous state as her brawler friend appeared seemingly out of nowhere, taking a seat on the couch just next to the Faunus.

"Hey you, try this." Yang said flatly, smiling while passing a large red cup of liquid to Scylla, the fruity scent immediately filling her nose as she brought her mouth to the rim. As the young woman took a sip she felt a near instant buzz, the tingly, sweet taste filled her mouth as she indulged in the flavour.

"Huh, not bad. You make this, Coco?" She asked before taking another brief gulp of the beverage.

"Nah, I'm no mixer, that was Fox's work." The aforementioned girl replied, sinking back into her seat and eyeing the tanned, muscled boy tending to some guests at the other end of the room.

"Well, compliments to the chef I suppose." Yang let out a laugh and downed her still half-full glass, hungrily gulping down the liquid and letting her vision go slightly fuzzy, little did the others know that this was already her third helping. Coco, looking to continue the waning conversation, sought a way to change the subject.

"So, what do you think of Beacon so far?"

"Not bad, some of the people could use a little discipline, though." Scylla replied, a sly smile on her face as she dug through her recent memory, visualizing the events with Cardin barely a few weeks ago. The two had become quite the celebrities around the school, unfortunately that was what they least wanted to happen, but with a bit of luck the event would simply be forgotten as most minor events among schools do.

"Oh don't worry, I'm sure your teaching methods will work wonders." Coco sank further into her seat, taking a swig of her drink before sending a wink in the direction of the armoured girl. Admittedly the pair stood out in the crowd, most characters there wearing simple shirt and pants, with the exception of Coco who spared no exception to wear possibly the most fashionable thing she could find in her wardrobe. A pearly white jacket lined with chocolate brown stitching over the collar and shoulders wrapped around her torso, with black, slim trousers that hugged her legs.

The group shared a laugh, but after a few more minutes of talking, Scylla noticed Yang rise to her feet and make her way seemingly aimlessly around the room. "Excuse me, guys." She stated flatly, a small smile on her face appeared after a nod of approval from the other young women.

"You doing okay, Yang?"

"It's a little less lively than I was expecting."

"Not having a good time?"

"I wouldn't say that," Yang began, eyeing the drinks laying almost untouched on the dining room table. "Just usually there's more dancing at the parties I go to, and the occasional guy passed out on the stairs." The pair laughed before the silence took over.

"Here, I'm sure Coco won't miss it." Grabbing a large bottle, its jet black glass cold in her hands as she passed it to the student.

"Wh- Vintage? Scylla this must be worth a fortune!"

"Somehow I don't think she'll miss it. Besides, if she didn't want it drunk, she wouldn't have left it here would she?" The tech geek laughed heartily, waving her arms around to show off the expensive looking apartment, the table itself looked like it could be worth a fortune. And judging by the coffee enthusiast's taste in clothing, they assumed she or her family were hardly short on cash.

"So you expect me to get drunk on my own?"

"It's just a parting gift for coming here with me. Besides, I heard Cyprus was hoping to go drinking tonight."

Yang rolled her eyes, the predictable action of Scylla bringing it down to simply wanting to see a boy must have been all too easy for her. But she made it abundantly clear she had no interest in the man, at least not yet. Pulling the redhead into a tight hug, Yang was careful not to ruin the rather stylistic hair of her ally, carefully running her fingers along the soft, short crimson locks that wrapped around her neck.

"Very funny, see you soon okay?"

Yang, now quietly making her exit, left the shorter girl to herself, and after a short time mingling with other guests she soon enough found herself back in Coco's company.

"You know you're alright, you better come hang around with us sometime, right Velvet?" She gave a warm smile and turned to her teammate on the opposite couch, who was indulging in a drink as she curled her body on the cushion.

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, of course!" The Faunus turned and jumped at the attention, her long, rounded ears springing up at the call.

"I think I might, Coco. We'll see."

* * *

The trip back to Beacon was much shorter than it seemed to would take, the taxi through the dark, near empty streets made her feel rather uneasy. With nothing but her bottle of Vodka to keep her company in the isolated back seat, she was more than tempted to take a swig or two, but the image of her drinking alone made her stop, and soon enough she would be back home.

"You gon' be okay out here darlin'?" The driver asked from the front seat as she left the vehicle, giving him a short nod she waved with a smile on her face as she waited eagerly for the next airbus. The small civilian ships worked around the clock to move people all around the City and its outskirts, Beacon being one of the main stops.

" _Well, I've come this far…"_ Yang thought to herself as she stepped on the airship that finally arrived, staying at the party would have been much easier but she felt just terrible leaving Cyprus on his own with nothing but his own thoughts. Tapping her scroll a brief few times, she brought up the vigilante on her screen, and pressing a button a few dull tones began to sound from the device.

"I don't care how much I might have pissed you off, you're not seeing me without something to drink."

"Aren't you in luck then?"

"Is that Yang? Yaaaaaaaaang!"

"Ruby?! Cyprus, what is my sister doing in your room?" Her heart stopped for a moment as she thought of the possibilities, each one seemingly more terrible than the last. Her voice quickly turned to a slow, stern tone as she felt the need to crush her scroll in her hand.

"I thought he'd be lonely! He's just showing me the stuff he does while he works!" The voice on the other end chimed.

"Technically it's more charity than work but, whatever. How far away are you?"

"Just getting on the ship now, I'll be there in about twenty."

"Okay great, hurry up because I think your sister's coming on to me."

A muffled 'Ew' could be heard as Yang began to place her scroll back in her pocket, chuckling. It seems those two got along quite well, she assumed Cyprus's rather unique sense of humour would transfer well to the leader of her team. In a way she felt lucky to have met the pair that oh so suddenly fell into their lives, and despite how crazy things might have gotten, this was just the start and she knew it.

A whistling breeze brought her out of her daydream as the doors of the ship opened, finally landing at her destination. A couple of other students stepped onto the large, circular landing pad as the airship came to a halt, Yang following shortly after and making her way back to the school. It was still rather early at around eleven, and with no particular curfew students were free to enjoy the night life, within reason of course.

 _ **Tap tap tap**_

"What's the password?" A voice came from the other side of the door, she thought of checking on Weiss and Blake first, but assumed they would have already fallen asleep by now. What with Weiss worried sick, and Blake exhausted from the conflict that had taken place just mere hours before.

"I have booze."

"You may enter." An obvious Cyprus replied in a gruff, deep voice.

Opening the door, Yang was met by Ruby with her feet dangling over the armrest of the couch, waving her big sister inside, and Cyprus now in a state she had never really seen him in before. His gear was cleaned and hung up on a coat hanger at one end of the room, metal plates in a neat pile underneath. Instead the young man was in a simple, tight fitting vest that hugged his slightly toned body. Loose pyjama pants held around his waist and covered his feet slightly, looking up Yang felt a bit of relief as she walked closer to him, watching as his expression lit up at the sight of the alcohol.

"You are an angel."

"And you can see again, good for you."

Ruby giggled behind him as the bruised man gently took the dark bottle from his friends' grasp. "Cyprus and Yang, sitting in a tree…"

"Keep singing and I won't let you have any."

Yang instantly shot her friend a cold, hard stare. And the vigilante could swear he saw her eyes begin to turn red. His face, still covered in brown and purple spots from his recovering wounds, smiled a nervous grin to the brawler, one of his Grey eyes half closed as the skin around it was swelled and dark.

"Kidding! Kidding!" He raised his hands in an innocent manner and waited until the fiery woman calmed down. Gently placing the bottle on the table, the group sat in an awkward silence for a few moments until Ruby quickly jumped from her seat and began to make her way out the door.

"Well, I'm tired, goodnight guys!"

"Wait, but y-" Too late, the door quickly shutting, Ruby made her way back to her own room, giggling softly to herself as it closed with a squeak and she made her way down through the dark hallway to her own room. "What's her rush?" The young man asked, shrugging as he quickly pushed the office chair away from the desk until he sat up with a grunt beside the much more comfortable couch, setting himself down.

"How are you feeling?" Yang asked, moving to the kitchen to grab the pair a glass each. Unscrewing the bottle, she grabbed some soda from the cupboard and mixed it with the alcoholic beverage.

"Like I've been doing nothing but get the crap kicked out of me for two days…Oh wait." The pair shared a laugh as the blonde returned to the couch, taking a seat beside Cyprus she slid her arm over the backrest, removing her boots and tucking her legs onto the soft, brown cushions.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes I will go out with you."

Yang shook her head, a warm, kind smile on her lips as she handed the man his drink, who downed a decent amount almost instantly. "How are you always so…Happy?"

"Huh, good question." Cyprus began, taking a small breath he leant over, holding his side as he gently set the glass on the table. Yang managed to get a longer look at his face as he did so, the small white, medicinal plasters that were scattered about his face hid dozens of small cuts and openings. Some still tinted just a little bit red and she could almost feel his body ache and burn as he turned to face her. "I guess I know what it's like to go through something bad, and I feel like I can make the most of any situation. I don't want to be remembered as a grumpy ass who always looks like he woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

"So you just keep laughing? Even when someone's about to shoot you in the back of the head?"

"To be fair I couldn't see a damn thing," This time his comment didn't emanate any form of laugh from his friend. "But I guess if I die laughing, then I'll have a one up on whoever takes me out. They won't have the satisfaction of having me being a bubbling mess."

The room fell silent once more before Yang leant in a little closer, taking note of one of the stray bandages she quickly pressed it back against his skin.

"Yeah, still hurts Blondie."

"You didn't answer my question, how are you feeling?"

"Honestly? Like shit, I mean. I've been thinking a lot, about this whole…White Fang, Torchwick thing." He lay back in his seat, his head resting backwards as his eyes met the young woman's soothing purple disks. "This thing could be a whole lot bigger than we thought it was."

"How do you mean?" She asked, taking a small sip of her drink she furrowed her brow and wondered if Torchwick had hit him harder than she thought.

"They took me somewhere, no idea where exactly but I met who I think was behind this whole thing."

"Who were they?"

"No idea. They had me blindfolded the entire time, but it was a woman, sounded damn familiar though."

"Any idea who it might be?"

"I've met a lot of girls, many of which would have reason to kill me."

"Remind me never to date you."

The two laughed and continued their drinks, the buzz from previous beverages beginning to take their toll on Yang as she slowly felt her eyes closing. Shaking herself awake she continued in an effort to stay conscious for as long as possible, she didn't come all the way back to fall asleep now.

"You know, I think coming here was a good move, in the end." Cyprus sighed, running a hand through his soft, untidy hair, still damp from the earlier shower he took.

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, aside from the usual sappy answers like 'oh I met you guys' and all that, I know my ego can't win every battle. And if this is really going to get bigger, I'm gonna need to start learning how to fight."

Yang raised an eyebrow at the statement, confused. "Don't you already fight? I mean you've been all over the news for months."

"Hired goons and thieves don't count as real fights. When you saw me Scyl' fighting those Grimm a few weeks ago, that's the first time I ever fought one. People are one thing, but when I solve every crime then those…" He took a pause, another sip as he was eager to finish the conversation that was quickly going in a depressing direction. "…Monsters will still be out there, so I'm gonna need to learn. Quick."

Yang didn't know whether it was the alcohol, the rush of adrenaline that finally began to leave her system after the night's events, or just plain impulse, but she soon found her arms wrapped around Cyprus. The young man's eyes shot open as he was pulled into her shoulder, the warm feel of her skin as she held him close felt all too surreal for him, until she pulled away.

"You'll be alright, you've got Scylla to teach you."

"What's the matter, can't make time for me yourself?"

"I have my own team to take care of, you have yours, even if you are two members down."

The two shared in the calming atmosphere, looking onto the minimum amount of screens that covered the wall. Staring at the many people walking in the night life on the eve of a public holiday, he smiled and turned to speak to Yang who, unfortunately, was now resting her head on his shoulder with her eyes gently shut. Looking down quickly, Cyprus managed a catch a view of the girls' cleavage before turning back to the screens, his own eyes shutting as he too drifted off into sleep, their half-filled glasses still on the table in front of them.

"Awesome."


	18. Chapter 18: R&R

Her mind felt covered in complete blackness as the young woman slept, her body still and frozen as it looked to most like she was meditating, rather than sleeping. Her fingers interlocked over her stomach, the strong, authoritative looking mastermind not changing her posture and intimidating demeanour for a second. As she lay in the small, hastily renovated office on a small one person bed, she let the blankets only cover her waist, leaving her entire torso exposed. Two large scimitars lay beside her on a long table, almost always within arm's reach as if expecting an attack at any moment.

" _How can he be here?"_

Her eyebrows twitched as she shuddered ever so slightly in the dark room.

" _I swore to never see him again."_

An internal battle within her mind, an inner monologue ranted through her brain as the pitch black covered her vision.

" _Do you think he knows?"_

Her Amber eyes shot open, brow furrowed to show a very visible expression of dread on her face. Her fingers clenched the sheets of the bed at either side of her body as she held herself up and the audible whirring of a distant ship slowly became louder, the metal walls of the building shook slightly as it began to land nearby.

The temporary camp was a place of much needed rest for the busy woman, and she would soon be in another location in order to keep her plans a secret, but for now she waited to see if her most recent hired goon had done his job correctly. Part of her wanted to stay up, but any rest she could get for her recent endeavours was a godsend, and as much as she was feared by the people beneath her, she was still human.

 _Knock knock_

"I know."

As soon as her voice pierced the air, the person on the other end of the door began to quickly walk away, the young woman slowly stepping from the warm confines of the bed. Stepping towards her crimson outfit, she hastily tidied her ashen black hair, combing it briefly and let the bulk of it hang loosely over her left shoulder. The formal minidress slipped onto her body easily after putting on her simple, black underwear. Her face just as refined and cleaned as the moments she rested, she closed her eyes for a brief moment before taking her scroll from the bedside table, activating it with a few clicks.

"Of course that's how it played out." She let out a small chuckle, followed by a scowl as she roughly placed the small device inside a pouch on her belt and quickly made her way outside.

Unlocking the door with a soft click, it slowly opened with silence as the sheet metal swished through the air, and turning around the woman relocked it with a click. Her shoulders bare as the red dress stopped at the top of her arms, cutting off with bright yellow highlights that spiralled their way along the edges and lengths of her body.

"He's here. He-"A voice said, his silhouette moving from the shadow to reveal the young man that had captured the vigilante just days earlier.

"I know, we need to talk. Grab Emerald and come with me." She uttered, her tone not unlike that of a stern mother as she began to walk in the opposite direction.

Despite the chilling cold of the night air, the woman felt extremely warm, her hand opening by her side she closed her eyes and concentrated, a satisfied smile emanated from her as a fist sized pillar of unnatural flame emitted from her palm, covering the area around her in a heated orange glow. Behind her she could hear the soft footsteps of her other two companions as they quickly returned to her side, and in the distance the group noticed Torchwick making his way inside the nearest open warehouse.

Roman held a defeated expression on his face as he took his black Bowler hat off briefly, wiping his brow with a sleeve he carried a small case, placing it gently on the table he sighed, wondering just how long it would be before the others found out. Thankfully, this happened sooner rather than later as the trio appeared just behind in.

"How very disappointing, Roman." The woman said, her Amber eyes glowing in the shadows along with the fire burning hot above her hand.

"Whoa! Wasn't expecting to see you so soon, Cinder." His sly composure broken momentarily as he jumped at the sudden arrival.

"We were expecting…More, from you." The woman tilted her head slightly and rested a hand on her slim waist, the two figures behind her still shrouded in the darkness as she began to move forward. Her intimidating and disappointed tone caused a nervous laugh to come from her hired thief, whose brain was quickly working on a counter argument.

"Hey, you were the ones who suggested working with those stupid mutts from the White Fang." He almost wanted to look around to check if any were listening in, but any sign of weakness could have been quickly intercepted by the fiery mistress in front of him.

"And you will continue to do so." Cinder began, stepping forward with the flame casting its glow over the left side of her body, her yellow highlights on her dress illuminating as she stepped forward slowly. "We have big plans for you Roman. All we ask, is a little co-operation."

"And I am co-operating my dear, it's just when you send me out to do a simple task, I expect the people you give me to be capable enough to help me do it." Roman snarled, baring his teeth as best he could however the woman remained unphased, simply crossing her arms she slowly began to walk in a large circle around him.

"Tell me you got at least something right, I heard no reports of bodies anywhere tonight. I trust you were at least capable of sorting out our little vigilante problem?" She cooed, her legs gently moving one in front of the other, the soft clicking of her heels echoed through the air as she stepped.

"We were ambushed, some kids jumped in at the last second and kept us busy-"In an instant Roman's cheek was red, his face pointed sideways and towards the ground.

"I gave you the simplest task!" Her sudden shout caused the rest of the group to back up slightly, looking towards each other with worried eyes. The fire from her palm exploded and send a wave of heat across the room, leaving her eyes and the golden highlights of her dress to be the only thing illuminated past the moonlight. Her furious expression unseen in the darkness as she stood beside the stylish criminal. "He was beaten, blindfolded, starving and damn near death already! And YOU couldn't handle putting a bullet in his head!"

Torchwick found himself backed up against the table, the case jostling slightly as he stood, visibly shaken by her intense lashing out.

"The next time you fail me, there will be consequences. And you know what he looks like now, so shoot. On. Sight."

* * *

"Again."

"We've been at this for hours, can we take a break?"

"No, again."

"You know I thought kicking my ass would get old for you after a while?"

"It does, but this is for you, not me. Again!"

Cyprus quickly rose to his feet, the staff in his right hand twirling as he readied himself for another attack, sprinting towards his friend. The grassy open field in the gardens of the academy was a fine place to relax for many, however today it was a place for many to watch a certain student get his ass handed to him again and again.

It had been just over two weeks since the events at the docks, and it thankfully took just over a day for the vigilante to recover from his wounds. Since then his determination had been unrivalled, jumping at every opportunity to train with his partner ever chance that came by, but progress was slow. Sticking to mere wooden training poles, roughly the size of their respective weapons, the pair sparred every break they had, usually in the open where they caught the attention of many students.

"You can do it, Cyprus!" A voice called out from the small crowd that had gathered over post class training.

"Thanks Rubes! Okay, I got this, I got this…." He began to charge, knowing a heavy strike would leave him open he sent a small, quick thrust forward with one end of the pole, only to be blocked and swiped away by his opponent. The soft, dull smacks of the wood smacking against one another increased as they fought. Cyprus quickly spun and blocked Scylla's counter swipe, and the two proceeded to barrage each other with spins, thrusts and swipes trying to land a hit on the other.

The crowd began to cheer briefly, however the excitement didn't last long, as the redhead quickly pulled the young man close, locking their staves and proceeding with a brutal head-butt. With a final swipe across his legs, and an audible 'ooooh' from the crowd, Cyprus fell to the ground, beaten.

"Okay, don't got this." He groaned, spread flat on the grass following the loss. Looking up, he noticed Scylla offering her hand to him, which he quickly grabbed and was raised to his feet.

"Well, you are getting better!" She giggled, double checking the front of his head to see if it was alright, the girl slightly regretting her action.

"And this will help me fight Grimm…How?"

"Grimm are predictable, but their strength is in numbers. You already know how Beowolves work, so it's only a matter of time before you meet the other ones."

"Oh goodie, more mindless animals trying to kill me, sounds great." He let out a soft chuckle as the pair began to head off, the bright orange sun setting over the horizon as they headed back to the dorms. The small audience dispersing leaving a couple of others for them to make the journey alongside, Ruby already having announced herself jogged to meet the pair beside Pyrrha and Jaune.

"You're looking much better, Cyprus." The prodigy gave him a warm smile as she spoke, they hadn't seen much of each other since the predicament in the emerald forest, so the group found it good to finally have some time to catch up.

"Thanks, it was nice of you to come check on me, even if I was passed out."

Thinking back the group chuckled at how the morning after the night's rather extraordinary events, team JNPR walked in to pay the pair a visit. Not only did they not find Scylla, but they ended up stumbling in on two unconscious characters cuddled up on a couch. This resulted in an embarrassed Yang giving an involuntary slap across Cyprus's face as the group jolted her awake.

"I didn't know you and Yang were even dating."

"They're not, Jaune." Scylla chuckled, "But I think love is in the air whenever those two are together." The five shared a chuckle as they walked through the quickly emptying courtyard, the door to the dormitories funnelling the students as they headed back.

"Hey, I'm not the only one here who's apparently love-struck." Cyprus retorted, holding his hands over the back of his head as he began to stretch.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The hacker furrowed her brow and crossed her arms, looking back toward her friend.

"Oh, nothing. Just I can think of a few people here who wouldn't say no if a certain other person asked them for a kiss!"

"What is he talking about?" Jaune asked, quizzically. His head tilting as the group made their way through the door, he pouted as three of the group began to giggle, and leaving Pyrrha with a blush on her face as the oblivious boy continued to question as their laughter filled the air. A few more relaxing moments passed and the group had finally arrived at their rooms, parting ways the members of team JNPR began to stroll down the empty hallway. "Do you know what he meant?"

"Nope." Pyrrha replied, eyes staring straight ahead.

"You sure, because I think he looked at me when he said it."

"Nope!" The young huntress piped, almost shouting as her eyes widened, now almost running to get into the doorway.

The other two students slowly made their way inside, saying their goodbyes to Ruby as she headed toward the next doorway. The end of the school term was fast approaching, and the couple wondered what they would do during the break. Scylla offered a holiday that they desperately wanted, but the recent events had stuck in their minds, causing them to search around the clock for more clues as to who might be behind it.

"So, what's the plan?"

"The usual, but with more training."

"You've been making me train you non-stop for days, you need a break." A concerned look spread across the young woman's face as she sat down on the couch, opening a small packet and digging into the confectionary treats within.

"I need to be able to fight, if Torchwick comes knocking I need to hold my own this time."

Though it had been true he had never won a brawl against the criminal, but a majority of the situations it was hardly an even fight, the thief never travelled alone and the fights were losing battles from the start. Despite all of that though, his improvement in the field was noticeable, he was less reckless and thanks to his partner he was learning to focus more on the defensive and less mindless attacking. His daily training had become a regular event at the school, and some student had even been placing bets on who would win in the sparring, the odds of course never in the vigilante's favour.

"So you just want to stay here, fighting me and thugs in the streets every night? What about what I want!?" Her sudden outburst caught the young man off guard, causing him to back up slightly as his friend took a breath to calm herself down. "I want a break, you don't know what it's like staring at those screens every day, waiting to see how you'll get hurt."

Cyprus's ego took a huge blow as the words filtered from her mouth, looking to the floor and holding his hand over his eyes, gently rubbing his cheek as he placed the wooden practice staff down on the floor beside him.

"I'm sorry, I just want to keep people safe."

"I know, but we're both going to be running on fumes soon enough, A break will do us both a world of good." Scylla shuffled closer to her friend and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, she noticed his recently touched stubble beginning to grow out around his mouth, the Teal hairs just barely poking through his rough skin. "Come on, maybe after a bit of stress relief that beard of yours might grow properly."

"Aw, you know just what to say to make me feel better." He let out a soft chuckle and pulled the girl into a tight hug, rubbing his cheek against hers in a comical manner.

"Alright alright I get it, you love me. So any preference on where you want to go?"

"Scyl', I'm a multi-millionaire with a best friend who steals from every bank on the planet. I already have a holiday home. Ever heard of the Harlequin Isles?"

"You're kidding."

Cyprus leapt from his seat, getting down on one knee in front of his friend and clutching her hands gently between his own.

"A romantic getaway for just the two of us, my treat!"

"Can I invite Coco and the rest of her team?" Her statement was followed by a false groan of disappointment as the young man let his head droop downwards, before he jumped up to his feet and began typing into the illuminated keyboard placed on the desk.

"Fine, but I'm bringing at least three other girls."

"Your chances are really that low that you have to invite an army of women to try and get one to sleep with you? Also they're students, it's kind of weird."

"We're students too, idiot. Don't question my judgement! Also I'm, what? Two years older than them? Maybe three?"

Scylla let out a sigh as she knew this was an argument she could win, but what she couldn't do was convince her partner otherwise. And he was already bolting out the door with a map of the small, clustered islands pasted over the monitors.

* * *

"So, did he win?" Blake asked, her monotone voice flowing through the air as the Faunus buried her face in the novel placed on her hunched knees.

"Take a guess." Ruby sighed, falling down flat on her bed as she took off her constricting, formal school shoes. The black leather falling to the floor with a couple of dull thuds the team leader let out a happy sigh, her body stretching over the sheets. Blake chuckled softly and the hints of a smile appeared on her lips as she turned the page on her book, knowing the answer to her question before the other girl even replied.

"He's at least gotten better, right?" A tinge of concern could be heard in Yang's voice as she spoke, leaning up from her own bed slightly she tilted her head towards her relaxing sister.

"Yeah! He lasted almost twenty seconds this time!"

Blake and Yang suddenly burst out in laughter, unable to contain their immature side. The Faunus girls' novel falling from her lap onto the ground as she covered her mouth, stifling her giggles.

"Oh you two are so childish!" Weiss shouted, shaking her head and returning to her workbook, the pen between her fingers twirling as she tried to focus on her studies.

"I don't get it, what did I say?"

"Don't worry about them Ruby, just do some studying."

An audible groan came from the young girl, "Come on, Weiss! The term's almost over!"

The heiress was about to retort to her team leader about the importance of her studies, a quick, repeated tapping was heard at their door. Folding her book, a disgruntled Weiss quickly made her way over to it, only to jump and squeal in surprise as the beaming face of Cyprus was shoved in her face.

"Gah! What do you want?"

"Where you guys going over the break?"

The instantaneous question caused the four girls to look at each other in utter confusion, their heads turning back to the young man after a brief moment they waited for one of them to make a reply, with his grey eyes wide and staring as he stood stiff in the doorframe.

"Father had me apply for another course."

"We're going to see our dad for a couple of days!" Ruby piped, her excited tone caused a light chuckle to escape the mouth of her sister as she tapped around the screen on her scroll. Blake however, kept silent, furrowing her brow and focusing as hard as she could on the novel in her hands.

"Blake? What about you?" Cyprus inched closer, his head rising from the foot of the bed in a cartoonish fashion as he looked up to her with an unwavering, wide grin.

"Find out what Torchwick is up to." She replied, flatly.

This didn't sit well with Cyprus, not one bit. Furrowing his brow, he quickly grabbed the thick, black covered novel and tossed it to the side, landing closed over Weiss's own textbook. Blake would have jolted up and retrieved it if not for the male latching onto her arm, holding the young Faunus close and spinning her around.

"Those all sound great, but I have a better idea!" He chuckled, swinging the girl as she tried to wriggle away with a grunt, the group looked at each other with questionable expressions.

"Ho-li-day!"

"Don't be ridiculous, even if all of us could afford a holiday, it would takes weeks to plan!" Weiss exclaimed, though sure to bring up the fact she could easily afford a trip.

"Why is it you all immediately forget how filthy stinking rich I am?"

"By stealing the cash from innocent people?" Weiss grumbled, shooting a look of great distaste in the vigilantes' direction. To which Cyprus replied, of course after finishing his forced dance routine with Blake.

"By inheritance from dead parents, thank you very much! I didn't get all my money from being a criminal, I did it through other lazy means! Now, Harlequin Isles, who's in?"

Yang quickly shot her hand over her head, wincing as her enthusiasm caused her to hit the bottom of the bed above her own, a confused Ruby slowly raised her own, unsure just what had her sister so excited. Weiss shook her head and despite not wanting to disappoint her family, found it extremely hard to turn down an invitation to one of the most pristine, perfect holiday destinations in all of Remnant. And after a few seconds of being stared down by her comrades, she reluctantly let her own arm rise into the air.

"Absolutely not, we don't have time for this!" Blake's outburst caught the young man off guard as he took a step back, tilting his head and leaning back against the doorframe.

"I know you want to track down Torchwick, you're not the only one who's got a vendetta against the guy." He began, his gaze unwavering from the Faunus girl as she gave him a cold stare. "But the more time you spend looking the more tired you'll get, and by the look of it you're still a little shaken up. So, come with us for three days, and when we get back you can spend as much time as you like playing detective."

She couldn't argue with that, the past few days she had been sleeping poorly, waking up every night and checking her scroll for any news reports, only to wind up with nothing.

"So," He looked around to the other girls, who gave rather worried looks, until a warm smile came from him and brightened the atmosphere in the room. "Three days of fun in the most beautiful place on the planet next to my bathroom when I step out of the shower, or a boring week of doing nothing? We leave on Tuesday morning."


	19. Chapter 19: Harlequin

Yang waited by the landing pad alongside her team, her usual attire now replaced by a simple white, buttoned shirt with the first two from the top end left open. Her hair was placed into a rather messy ponytail behind her head, letting a decent amount of her hair still cover the sides of her face as she shuffled around in her small, brown leather sandals.

"They're taking their time." Blake mumbled, sitting on her small black suitcase with her chin in the palms of her hands.

"They had to organize an entire holiday for like, a dozen of us. They'll be here!" Ruby chimed, standing beside her sister she swung her hips from side to side, more than eager to get going. It certainly took some convincing but the vigilante had made sure to get the full members of team RWBY on board, and Scylla was more than happy to invite Coco and her own group to come along for the ride.

"They're fifteen minutes late, relax sugar." A voice said from behind the group, Coco lay back against a light post on the edge of the platform, looking down towards the bustling city below. The slightly cloudy atmosphere around them made most of them worried it would rain soon, but the stylish young woman had confidence in her friend to arrive before that happened.

"This better not be a waste of a trip, I spend over two hours trying to convince father to let me come." Weiss said, a distinct grumble notable in her tone as she spoke.

Eight unique characters stood in wait for their hosts, the cool breeze from being so high above the city left them with a slightly cold feeling as clouds rolled overhead. Around them, they could see many students already taking their leave, whether to see family and loved ones or go on trips of their own. The airships quickly took off and landed to ferry as many students as they could to the city below, eager to start their week long break from studies.

"So, what made you guys wanna tag along?" Yang called out, taking a seat beside the Faunus of the other team and taking a swig of a recently opened can held in her palm.

"Most of us saw our family earlier this month, so it was a no brainer for us to come. Plus I don't think anybody can turn down a free holiday at one of the greatest places in the world, can they?" She said with a gleeful smile on her face, wondering just how they actually managed to pay for it. However not one to argue with a good thing, Velvet stood with her hands on her hips, eagerly awaiting their ride to pick them up.

"Hey! Is that them?" One of the other team members shouted, looking over the edge of the platform his brown body vest flickered in the heightening winds. The rest of the group quickly made their way to the boy's side, looking down and watching with awe as the shape came into view.

Quickly rising and heading towards the platform, a large, private aircraft made its way to the group, the colossal ship soaring gently through the sky as the arctic blue hull spread from the elongated body across the large, triangular wings that sprouted from the sides and back. The circular engine at the back whirred with a blasting heat that propelled it forward, the technology mind boggling as the ship hovered.

Yang's Scroll began to buzz in her pocket, and as she quickly took the device into her hand she noticed the familiar face appear over the translucent glass.

"Hello?"

"Move back from the platform! Seriously, you couldn't have picked a worse place to stand."

Signalling the rest of the group, the blonde signalled for them to move away. Picking up their variously sized luggage, they quickly made their way into the grassy knoll nearby, sitting down and watching as the airship quickly moved closer.

The luxurious craft finally reached the large disk, its engine on the back tilting downwards as it began the landing procedure, a small siren chimed as a set of large skis extended from the bottom of the hull, bouncing as they touched the ground. Opening the side door, Cyprus gave a wave to the others before the engine finally spun to a stop, beckoning the group over to him.

"Not bad, rich boy." Coco smirked, stepping forward slowly towards the lowered door, the lowered door flipping to reveal a thin staircase leading to the interior of the ship. Scylla poked her head out quickly from the side and shot a beaming grin at the group, ecstatic at the sheer luxury of the rather spacious airship.

As the others finally made their way inside, jaws hit the ground. The interior of the ship was covered in a rich beige leather, a roomy corridor almost four metres across filled most of the hull with around fifteen plush, black and white seats. The only windows to the passenger area of the craft were huge, rectangular shapes that spanned a majority of the area's length. Shiny wooden tables lay around the centre of the ship with more chairs surrounding them.

"This is amazing. How can you afford this?" Velvet asked, her ears shooting up in surprise at the airship that looked on par with some of the best apartments she had been in, almost as good as her teammates.

"Inheritance does have its benefits." Cyprus replied, his arms folded as he lead the two teams to their seats, before taking a stand at the marble counter of the bar held at the rear end of the ship. Once he finished a tall, thin man in a sharp suit made his way from the door to the cockpit, giving a pleasant smile under his thick, formal grey moustache.

"Are these all of your guests, sir?"

"Oh! Yeah, everyone this is Brandeis. Brandeis, these are my friends."

The middle aged man let out a hearty laugh as he gave a small bow, "It is so good to see you socializing again, Master Haze. And I trust everyone is ready?" He asked, his unusual accent chiming through the still, pure air.

"All ready, my friend!"

"Very good sir, we will depart in a few minutes." And with that, he retreated back into the other room, his back straight in an unphased orderly fashion.

The group was already making themselves at home, Blake had found herself a nice, isolated chair to sit in, looking out the window as she wondered whether she should check her scroll for any news following the previous events, only to have a voice attract her attention.

"Now! Who wants what?" Cyprus began, diving behind the bar and searching the shelves for the dozens of bottles that lined them. "Scylla, fancy a wine?"

"Please, I'm on holiday!" The girl replied, untying her hair she let the flowing red locks droop around her shoulders as she leant over the bar, nothing but a bra and baggy vest covering her torso. "Beer me."

Complying, the vigilante quickly grabbed a cold bottle from the fridge, handing it to the young woman who eagerly uncapped the top and took a seat nearby.

"You're drinking already? It's barely eleven!" Weiss exclaimed, her brows furrowed as she crossed her legs in her own soft seat. Cyprus quickly jolted from behind the counter and shot the heiress a look of false disgust, pouring himself a rather large glass of liquor that filled the glass with a green hue.

"Weiss honey, we're on holiday! Relax!" He began, taking a swig and gasping as he drew breath after the gulp. "You're in for nothing but beaches, alcohol and fun!" He exclaimed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, much to the young woman's' disapproval as she tried to shake him off.

With his attention centred on Weiss, Cyprus failed to notice a few of the others get up and make their way to the bar. Coco hard at work mixing her own drink from various bottles on the tabletop, Fox and Yang grabbing themselves a can from the fridge and digging in. Suddenly, the hull of the ship began to vibrate softly, and the bottles clinked against each other as a click could be heard over the intercom.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please take your seats. Master Cyprus if you could ensure all loose objects are secured, we may begin our takeoff!" The gruff yet quirky voice of Brandeis said from the small cockpit. The group quickly sat themselves down in their own chairs, those with beverages making sure to hold them tight as the engines whirred just outside. With a quick push upwards, the aircraft took to the sky, slowly turning around as the pilot controlled it with expert precision, the colossal ship hovered away from the pad and over the busy cityscape below before finally kicking in the main engines and sending it flying high into the atmosphere.

Standing up just as quickly as he had set down, Cyprus removed his thin, grey jacket and placed it on his chair, stretching in just shorts, a singlet and a pair of flip-flops. He made his way over to a large screen on the far wall and clicked a series of buttons until quiet, upbeat music could be heard throughout the entire ship.

"Not having anything, Blake?" Scylla asked, hunched up in her chair whilst gazing over to the Faunus, who now trying to focus on the clear blue skies outside.

"I don't drink." She replied, flatly.

"You sure? I mean, there's a first time for everything."

"I said. I don't. Drink." Blake's annoyed tone caught the young woman off guard, and letting out a slow breath she closed her eyes before backing away a little.

"Sorry, we just want everyone to have a good time. Forget about everything for a little while, you know?"

The pair stayed in silence for a few seconds, thankfully they hadn't caught the attention of the rest of the group who were going about their own business. Blake smiled empathetically at the redhead and nodded in appreciation.

"I know, thank you, but I'm alright."

* * *

The flight had been going for a good couple of hours already, and thankfully the members of the group had been getting along fine, for the most part. Coco and Weiss had gotten themselves in a rather rare, friendly conversation about various fashions, much to the team leaders' delight. The two Faunus conversed about several different topics, seemingly jumping from one to the other at a moment's notice, a rarity for someone as isolated as Blake. Fox, Yang and Scylla were busy debating their favourite drinks, and each one giving several reasons why one was better than the other, their cheeks positively flushed with the alcohol running through their systems.

"Hey Coco, what's wrong with Yastu?" Ruby asked, after a few moments of wandering around the spacious luxury liner she had become bored and began to check on the various members. She pointed to the well-built man seated at the corner of the room, his back straight and his hands held stiff by his side.

"Oh he's just a bad flier, don't worry he'll be fine." The caffeine lover said, waving off Ruby as she returned to her previous conversation. Yatsuhashi sat alone, his eyes wide open and shaking in his seat. His large figure could have fooled anyone, with his rather bland and straightforward personality made him look to be a person unafraid of anything, yet a simple flight had him quite literally scared stiff. Hoping to cheer him up, Ruby quickly grabbed a small glass of water from a nearby table and headed over.

"Here you go!"

"T-thank you!" Yatsu stammered, his voice barely more audible than a squeak as he took the glass in his shaky hands. Before he could take a drink however, the aircraft shook with turbulence as it passed through a series of grey clouds.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your handsome captain speaking…" Cyprus began, his voice buzzing over the intercom. "We'll be arriving at our destination in around fifteen minutes, please finish any drinks you currently have, and if you spill any I'll make you lick it up, thank you!" With an imitation of a closing chime from an airliner, he turned off the speaker, leaving him sat in the co-pilots' seat alongside his family friend and former employee.

"Are we romantically involved with any of these students, Master Haze?" He asked, a sly grin on his winkled face.

"I don't get involved with every girl I meet, Brandeis." The vigilante replied, his arms folded as he held his feet up over the console. The dozens of blinking lights surrounding him flickered and beeped as the other man manned the main controls, flying the craft effortlessly. On the horizon, the silhouette of a large, mountainous landscape came quickly into view, the ship soaring over the ocean inching ever closer to its destination.

"You certainly used to try, until the last one you were with!" He let out a hearty laugh, his eyes hidden behind expensive looking shades as he stared straight ahead onto the horizon.

The group sat in the passenger area quickly strapped themselves in, waiting for their landing as the saw the growing Island. The golden sands were the first things to be noticed, spreading far along the edge of the tropical resort, thankfully where they were staying was private poetry, and wouldn't be completely filled with tourists and sightseers like the sands that they could see were.

"I've always wanted to go here!" Velvet said, in an excited, squealing tone. Her bikini already on her body as it lay hidden under a loose, cream coloured shirt and high cut, Khaki shorts.

They finally reached the base of the landmass, the many natural roads leading to small, isolated yet clean and modern villages gave visitors plenty to explore, and the surrounding forests, hills and natural wonders kept the Harlequin Isles as the most sought after destination in Remnant.

"So, where are we staying?"

"Yeah, every hotel looks like it'd be full, there's so many people!" Blake said, looking out of the long, clear window to the filled, pure white beaches below.

"Oh don't worry, Cyprus has all that sorted!" Scylla replied, downing the rest of her drink and laying back into her chair, closing her eyes in wait for the landing.

As the transport slowly lowered itself after passing a rather large, jet black mountain, surrounded by acres upon acres of pure, untouched Emerald trees. A small tourist craft soared nearby, and Ruby, looking out the opposite side gave a friendly wave to the family also admiring the scenery. Cyprus, making his way back through the door of the cockpit, quickly removed his shirt to show his bare chest, swim shorts tightened around his waist as he walked to the door.

"Alright lovelies, Brandeis will take care of our bags, and I'm going swimming, who's in?"

"Me me me!" The rabbit Faunus shot instantly from her seat, stripping much to the others' surprise, and a quick glare from Scylla stopped the party host from staring. "When are we landing?"

"We're gonna circle around and head straight to the landing area, but I'm opening the door now, so I hope you brought your bikinis!"

"But we're still in the air!" Weiss exclaimed, eyes wide as she watched the young man quickly tap a few buttons and the side door swung open.

"You've jumped from ships before, haven't you? Besides, I'm landing in the water!" He called out over the winds that blasted the inside of the ship, knocking over a stray bottle that someone had forgotten to return to its cabinet. Quickly, the airship sped up and soared over another crystal blue ocean, and dipping its wing began a wide turn that forced many of the passengers to hold on for dear life.

"Is everybody ready, sir?"

"They better be, because I am! See you at the house!" He called out back over the two-way intercom. Running towards Velvet, he quickly took her by the hand and headed for the opening, much to her confusion.

"Okay? Five, four-"He already pushed, surprising the young woman they jumped almost immediately from the open door, falling several dozen feet into the waters below. Their auras lit up as they hit the surface, protecting them from any damage that they might incur. Landing feet first in the pristine, flawless waters, they looked down to see the rainbows of different coral that covered the ocean floor far beneath them. The distinct lack of any residue, waste or danger in the water made it feel like a perfect refreshment as they treaded, the pair laughing uncontrollably as they gave beaming grins to one another. It wasn't until a few seconds later more splashes could be heard, as Scylla, Yang, Fox, Ruby and Yatsu finally decided to take a dive.

"Oh it's perfect!" Yang exclaimed, a bright yellow bikini, trimmed with red covered a small portion of her body as she lay back and floated in the cool water.

"That was amazing, but if my luggage falls out I'm going to kill you." Scylla laughed before sending a splash of water in Cyprus's direction, her shoulder length crimson locks flowing through the waves as she held her head just above the surface. A quick return thrashing of water caused the girl to sputter and chough as she was hit square in the face, with her attacker quickly swimming away before she could retaliate.

"Hey, is that where we're staying?" Ruby asked, her eyes wides as she looked towards the beach in the near distance, the pearly white sand untouched and smooth as the lining of tall palm trees stretched along the length of the island as far as they could see, with only a small opening for a dirt road. "It's huge!"

"Hey, that's what she s-Mmrphr!" A quick dunk stopped Cyprus in his tracks, the vigilante met with a face full of water when his partner caught up to him and placed her hands on the top of his head, silencing him.

"Yeah, Ruby! Come on!" She exclaimed, a nervous laugh emanating from her as she began to swim to shore, the others following suit quickly. The team leader managed to catch up to and together they made their way towards the beach, the spectrum of bright colours underneath keeping their attention the whole way. If it wasn't for having to remember which direction they were meant to be moving in, the group would have gone off course a dozen times before they finally reached the beach.

"Ow! Hot hot hot!" Scylla exclaimed, the first to reach the sand she quickly found herself dancing on the spot, her legs lifting up and down wildly as she tried to distribute the sudden heat that instantly shot onto the bottoms of her feet.

"Oh don't be such a baby, I'm sure it's not that ba-…" Velvet paused, making her way onto the beach herself she quickly felt the sensation on herself and quickly ran back into the water. "Okay hot! Very hot! I'm staying here!" She squealed, sighing happily as the ocean cooled her off once more, the blazing sunlight burned Scylla's fair skin and she couldn't wait to get back indoors.

One by one the group managed to make their way out of the water, and one by one they instantly regretted it. Rushing back into the water again and again, they waited for someone to make the first move.

"Well? What're we waiting for?" A calming voice said from behind, Yastuhashi having finally caught up with the main groups' rush to the waters' edge, was unsure of the problem. And clambering out of the water, slowly began to make his way to the luxurious home at the other side of the beach, completely unfazed by the burning white ground beneath him.

The house was massive, with size just short of a small mansion it seemed to easily be able to accommodate at least twenty people, his parent's holiday getaway had thankfully been kept in prime shape by the hired cleaners, who were still getting paid for as long as there was savings in Cyprus's account. Pure white rendering covered the walls and large, tinted glass panels allowed plenty of light inside, giving it a roomy, comfortable atmosphere.

"Show off." Cyprus mumbled under his breath, tiptoeing as fast as he could to reach the building. And taking notice of Brandeis and the other three girls still on board outside the parked airship taking the luggage indoors alongside several housekeepers, he gave a friendly wave and rushed over to help.

This would be quite the getaway, indeed.


	20. Chapter 20: Questions

The enormous halls of the building went on seemingly forever, each twist and turn leading to another clean, pure white walkway. The roomy spaces between the walls and ceiling gave the group plenty of room as they were escorted around by their host, soft red carpet filled the ground beneath their feet as they made their way through the million dollar home. Perfect, crystal clear glass let the bright, tropical sunlight flow into the building with a pleasant and warming heat

"So you come here often?" Yang asked, her hands held behind her head.

"I used to, back when my parents were still around." The vigilante replied, giving a small nod to one of the cleaners as she walked by, a typical black and white maid outfit covering most of her body.

"How come you still keep it clean? Why not sell it?" Weiss asked, curious as to why such a fine establishment would be kept at such a fine state, yet be completely unused. Cyprus chuckled as he explained why, turning around and walking backwards as the group made their way down around a corner.

"Sure I could get a few million for it, but then I'd have to deal with hotels if we ever went away again. And would you really prefer it if we stayed in a packed hotel with a bunch of families and annoying kids?"

"Fair point," The brawler said, closing her eyes and stretching, "and this way I get to stare at Blake's butt all day long."

"What about my butt?" Cyprus retorted, chuckling.

"Like you have one worth seeing." Scylla joked, moving past her partner to get a look inside one of the rooms. The area was furnished like a five star hotel, with neat, clean sheets on several large, inviting beds. A huge television was placed on the far wall from the foot of the bed, and almost filled the entire side of the room with the deep, reflective black of the screen. From out of the corner of Cyprus's eye, he noticed Weiss with a rather smug grin on her face, her icy blue disks squinting slightly in his direction.

"Now who's the pampered billionaire?" She giggled, folding her arms and leaning back against the hallway, her pristine white hair tied into a bun atop her head, giving the girl a much more relaxed appearance.

"I was always a pampered billionaire, I just never bragged about it." He smirked in response, his reply emitting a noticeable 'oooh' from the small crowd. Thankfully for Cyprus, he had caught her in a reasonably good mood, and she simply rolled her eyes and continued exploring the house. From the outside the large, square windows of the building looked like they might let in much of the suns' blazing heat, but luckily it seems the architects had their heads screwed on the right way. The tinted windows and conditioning indoors making it feel like they had walked into a completely different climate upon entry.

Not long after, the group had settled into their accommodation, and thanks to a heads up from the man in charge, several beds had been set up in the master bedrooms.

"Did we really have to bunk with our team? It seems unnecessary." Yang grumbled, laying her shoulder against the wall and looking over the horizon, the sun setting perfectly over the ocean and leaving a deep orange glow to shimmer over the water. The tinted windows of the home darkening the scene outside, letting only a relaxing glow fill the room.

"Maybe they just didn't want to make it difficult? I'm okay with it!" Ruby piped, a beaming smile on her face as she pressed her face against the glass, looking eagerly around the beachfront. "Would you rather bunk with Cyprus?" She cackled, only her laughs were followed by meek cries as her ear was lightly twisted by her older sister. Yang would have responded with some witty response she hadn't quite thought of, but thankfully she didn't have to, as looking below she noticed a pair of figures heading in a rush towards the water's edge.

"Oh! Yang let's go swimming!"

"Way ahead of you!" The taller girl replied, her face beaming as she removed a long, loose brown shirt to reveal the bikini she had been wearing since earlier in the afternoon, the leader quickly following as she headed out the door to meet the pair outside.

Ruby hastily replaced her comfortable clothes with the one piece swimsuit she previously had been wearing, stumbling slightly as she rushed out the doorway, leaving the other two teammates behind her to simply look at each other, shrug and return to the books they had buried themselves in on their beds.

* * *

Scylla leant back against the golden sands, her toes digging under the surface to feel the cooler grains beneath her, and her half naked body glistened with the pristine, clear water droplets from the ocean just a meter or two away. Gentle waves crashed gently against the shoreline, just a little bit less reaching the pair that sunbathed each time thanks to the receding tide. Her luscious red hair splayed out behind her, the tiny grains sticking to her but she didn't mind, there was more than enough time to shower back inside.

"I've gotta hand to him, he really came through." The young woman beside her sighed happily, a warm smile on her face as she propped herself up with both hands, her legs held together as the water tickled the bottom of her feet as they pushed at her again and again.

"Cyprus?"

"Hell, I expected a wooden shack with an outhouse and a couch to sleep on, but the guy knows his getaways, that's for sure."

Scylla chuckled softly in response, Coco simply closed her eyes and lay back beside the other girl, sunglasses covering her deep, hazelnut eyes. Ahead of them, the two sisters wrestled in the cool ocean, tossing and splashing each other to seemingly no end, giggling like children on their birthdays. A rather large splash of water hit the youngest girl square in the face, causing her to cough and splutter between giggles.

"Play nice you two!" the team leader called out, one eye opening beneath her shades to check that the other girls were playing and not arguing as typical siblings would be by this point. Turning to the tech expert she lifted her rims with one finger at her ears, smirking and laying on her side, she let the true curves of her body show.

"So, gossip time."

"Oh no."

"Don't worry, no crush talk." Coco paused for a moment, looking away briefly after realizing she had been seen straight though. "Okay maybe a little."

"If it requires a lie detector I'm leaving." Scylla's response emanated a soft chuckle from her friend, who quickly came back with another quick joke.

"Just don't struggle and it'll be fine." The pair shared a laugh, the sun kissing the unshadowed areas of their bodies. "Now, every girl needs to have this conversation. It's a very important part of growing up, and you'll never be a true woman unless you have it."

Coco's victim let out a fake sigh, closing her eyes as she rested her head back onto the warm ground beneath her. "Alright, shoot."

The team leader cleared her throat and pretended to shuffle some invisible papers between her hands, acting out the situation like it was a true interview. Her nose lifted higher and her glasses pushed up against her face, she looked down towards her ally and began to speak in a posh, authoritative tone, to which Scylla found herself reminded of Weiss.

"As our first order of business, we must rate our group based on looks alone. Would you prefer to list them or would thou rather I ask one by one?"

"Are we really doing this?"

"Number one! Fox?" The pair sat in silence, Coco patiently awaiting an answer as she crossed her legs and hovered herself over the girl, giving her a solid, steady stare.

"No."

"Yatsuhashi?"

"No."

The brunette paused for a moment, before a sly smirk crawled up on her cheeks, triggering a quick response from the other girl.

"No! I told you he's not my type!"

"I wasn't thinking of him." Coco said, a sultry tone in her voice, and a look that Scylla knew all too well caused her to reel back just slightly as the other girl inched her way closer. Taking her hands over her cream coloured bikini top, she very quickly pulled upwards, revealing her bare chest just for a moment. The heavy blush that rose on her friends face was all the confirmation she needed, and as her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, the flasher let out a howling laugh. "I knew it! Oh you should've seen your face, sweetie!"

Scylla meanwhile, couldn't comprehend what had happened, her mind was still registering the sudden reveal that took place in front of her. Admittedly, given some warning it would have been a reveal she was quite happy to see, but the sudden surprise and shock left her dumbfounded.

"Okay new list, now that I have confirmation!" Coco shouted out, her chin and her hands now held on her hips triumphantly as she looked back down to the redhead, only to find her now splayed out on her back, arms wide apart.

"I never thought I'd miss Cyprus."

Thankfully for Scylla, a way out came in the form of two girls, soaking wet from their time in the pristine, cooling waters.

"You two have to try the water, its perfect this time of day!" Yang exclaimed, shaking her thick, luscious golden locks and covering the three around her in the spray. "So, what's the plan for tomorrow?"

Coco shrugged. A small piece of cloth cleaning the lenses of her sunglasses, drying them from the specks of seawater that coated them from the aforementioned ruffling of the blonde's bushy hair. After a brief apology covering up a giggle, Yang took a seat in front of the two, her younger sister still paddling at the waters' edge.

"Not sure, probably head around town, I heard the markets are perfect. So long as you keep your purse close."

Scylla scoffed, tilting her head in response to the other girl. "Come on, this is one of the wealthiest places in the world, who'd want to try and steal from us?"

"Vale's pretty wealthy, too. You're telling me there's no thieves there? Trust me, better safe than sorry."

The three stayed silent for a moment, before the clicking of the large sliding door could be heard behind them, barely able to see who it was before a flash of brown and white whizzed past them in an instant.

"Hi Velv-Ah!" Ruby yelped, managing half a greeting before the Faunus splashed into the water beside her, her rather small stature only creating enough of a splash to reach the young girl beside her. Swimming underneath the deeper water ahead of her for a few moments until a lack of oxygen caused her to resurface.

"This place is amazing!" She shouted, near instantly upon resurfacing, giggling alongside Ruby before sinking back down. The rest of them couldn't help but share a laugh, watching the bunny-girl having the time of her life in the tropical blue, vibrant coral could be seen just after the depth where their feet would no longer touch the sand. Schools of fish swam in a flurry of colours around her, scattering as she swam gracefully overhead. Another clicking of the door caught Scylla's attention, her head turning to see their host making his way to the nearby dirt road.

"Where are you heading?!" She called out, her head tilted upside down as she refused to move from her comfortable position. Cyprus chuckled lightly and bent his upper body, his head quickly matching the position of his partners.

"Gonna grab some booze, we're dry in here!"

"Need I to tag along?" She piped, already preparing herself to sit upwards.

"Nah, I got it! Get outta the water soon, sharks come in after dark!" He replied, returning to his upright position and quickly heading to the nearby parked car. A royal blue vest tightly hugged his torso, and with simple swim shorts and sandals he could easily be mistaken for any other tourist on the island. Scylla shrugged and turned around, jolting back in response to the new sight that met her gaze. Coco sat with a blank, empty stare towards the ocean, her sunglasses lay skewed on her face as Yang covered her mouth, barely able to contain her laughter.

In her arms, sat a drenched, shaking Velvet, clinging tightly to her team leader and her face looking like she'd seen a ghost. Her soaking wet body smothering the other girl, curling up on her lap like a needy puppy.

"I don't like sharks."

* * *

"Are you sure this is wise, sir?"

"It'll be fine, Bran'. I'll be in and out of there."

"You seem rather uneasy, would you like a drink while you wait?"

Cyprus chuckled softly, shaking his head as he looked out the window. The rows upon rows of palm trees littered the boundary to the deep, thick forest between the beach and the main area of town, and the winding roads giving the trip some unneeded tension. All of the vigilante's body was calm, breathing slow and like any other journey he had taken, save for a single piece. His hand pressed against the leather seat in the back seat of the spacious and luxurious limousine, an index finger repeatedly and aggressively tapped against the surface. Strong enough to emit a sound that could just be heard at the other end, Brandeis looked back through the mirror and took note, despite knowing nothing would really happen if he interfered.

"Where would you like me to drop you off, sir?" He asked, keeping his regular, posh tone and calm demeanour.

"Just anywhere on the side streets, its best if I walk the rest of the way. You've got the list for the drinks right?" Cyprus replied, his attention turning to the caretaker for just a moment while he asked the question. Stepping out of such a high-class vehicle in the middle of a crowd would be likely to draw unwanted attention.

"As you wish. Call me to pick you up when you are finished."

"Don't worry too much about me, I can-"

"Hand yourself. I know, sir. But your parents entrusted me to take care of you regardless, and where you're going could be dangerous."

The young man sighed. Brandeis was right, and he knew it. There was a clear reason he chose the Harlequin isles as his destination from the moment after the night at the docks, the voice he heard had plagued him for days since he had heard it. The all too familiar tone of voice whispering to him in his sleep, and he wouldn't dare leave the island without some kind of closure, or at least a clue.

Stepping from the vehicle as it reached a stop, he waited until it had fully rounded the corner before turning in the opposite direction, heading casually down the grit pathway at the side of the road. Crossing the edge into town as the path changed into concrete and tarmac, Cyprus could see the tips of more modern buildings just past the trees, the cooling breeze rustling the leaves and letting the setting sunlight throw it's rays in blinding lines through the gaps it created. The streets were bustling at this time of year, be it locals selling their wares at the markets, or the hundreds of tourists enjoying the night life.

"Just pick up the drinks and drive around town for a while, I ping you when I need picking up." He called out onto his scroll after it opened with a soft chime.

"Will the others not get suspicious if you-" He paused for a moment, leaving the vigilante to wonder if he had hung up accidentally. "We're gone for too long?"

"I told you, in and out of here. If it really takes me that long, just buy some more drinks, or call Scylla and ask if the guys if they have a preference. It'll be fine, trust me."

"As you wish, sir."

It wasn't long until Cyprus finally reached his destination, the short walk down the back streets of the town led him to a small, residential area. Humble wooden houses lay in near perfect rows beside the path, further exemplifying the peaceful, and quiet nature of the local populace. He turned right in the centre of the street, the small cottage seemingly less well kept than the previous time he was there. The white, painted walls just a little run down, flaking off at the corners to reveal the brown beneath it, however it seemed to be populated judging by the old car parked outside.

"Well, here goes nothing." He mumbled under his breath, holding one hand by his side, he raised the other and softly tapped on the thick door in front of him. The garden around him littered with a rainbow of flowers, their petals swaying gently from the stems that sprouted from the pristine soil. He gulped as the door slowly swung open, the figure behind it stood with her mouth agape, words taken from it before she could even respond to the man stood in front of her.

"Hey, Ash." The young man replied with a soft, gentle chuckle, much less brash and forward than his usual self.

"Well, there's a face I haven't seen in a long time, come in." She smiled, her caring yet still energetic face gave her an inviting aura as she beckoned him indoors.

The lady was much older than Cyprus, crows' feet prominent at the corners of her eyes and several wrinkles could be seen over her skin. Pale skin and an aged, yet spry and energetic body allowed Ash to feel and look much younger than she actually was. A red leather coat hugged her curves, the sleeves rolled up to leave her arms bare. Crossing her legs she took a seat in a small armchair.

"So, what brings you here, sweetheart?"

"It's…" The vigilante paused, taking a moment to gather his words. "Do you remember that news report of the attack on the docks?"

Her eyes narrowed as she took a sip of a small mug on the side table, the dim lights in the room gave an eerily calm atmosphere that caused a shiver to go down Cyprus's spine.

"Of course I do, how could anyone miss it? Now, you weren't involved in that were you?"

"Technically no, but…"

"Cyprus, darling." She began, setting her cup down and crossing her legs, her back leaning into the chair. "You know it's unwise to make yourself the centre of attention, much less being that vigilante that covers the papers."

"How do you-"

"You think Vale would be able to keep quiet about that? Or Ozpin?"

Cyprus furrowed his brow, there was much more to the situation than he knew about, and surprisingly enough, it seems Ash might actually know more than he does despite her more solitary attitude towards life in the past few years.

"How do you know Ozpin?"

"Oh, you'll learn sooner or later. He speaks quite highly of your new girlfriend, Scylla, was it?"

"She's not my…Wait, what about me?"

She shrugged in response.

 _Of course._

Ash quickly shook her head and leant forward, the soft seat creaking just slightly as moved her body closer. Her eyes squinted as she stared the young man deep into his eyes, watching as his dull grey disks moved from side to side to avoid her gaze. The aged woman took a breath, taking in the silence for a short while before letting a sigh escape her lips, returning to her more relaxed position. "Why are you really here, Cyprus?" She asked, her brow raised as she watched his every movement.

The vigilante's body shook slightly, his breathing escalating as he began to speak and the lamps around the room leaving the pair in a dull, eerie atmosphere as the dun set beneath the trees.

"Before the night at the docks, I was out doing…Errands."

"You mean taking the law into your own hands?"

"Pretty much." He chuckled, his fingers interlocked together as he rested his arms on his thighs. "I ended up getting caught by some White Fang members, they were doing some kind of business deal in an alleyway. At least, that's what it looked like."

The aging woman simply sat and gave Cyprus a cold, long stare. Simply listening to his speech and not interrupting for a second, he wasn't acting like his usual, playful self. For a person like him, she knew that most shocking events wouldn't change the young man for long, but the way he spoke wasn't what she was used to seeing. His voice cracked, shaky and stuttering as he struggled to form the words.

"Take a breath, Cyprus."

"Yeah, okay…" He sighed, inhaling deeply before closing his eyes, letting the air flow from him naturally before continuing. "When I got captured, I was taken to, what I think, was their main base. Or at least something like it."

"What happened?"

"I heard her."

Ash paused, her brow furrowed as she leant forward.

"What?"

"I heard Cinder. At least, it sounded like her, but it couldn't have been. Could it?"

The older woman was burying her face in her hands, contemplating the news as Cyprus sat in the eerie silence. Her eyes completely unmoving as she stares at the floor, her mind calculating every possibility that she could think of, and it wasn't long before she sighed, sitting upright with her back straight. Her blazing Orange circles glowed in the dim lighting, her fiery gaze while once friendly and welcoming to the vigilante, now felt unnerving, only serving to bring back memories he would rather not think about.

"Cyprus…"

"Yeah?"

"What do you know about the Four Maidens?"


	21. Chapter 21: Old and New

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Emerald asked, flicking a strand of hair that had annoyed the bridge of her nose enough for her to move it with a soft growl. The trio sat in near silence in the aircraft, its civilian design giving it the look of any other machine hovering over the skies making its way to a new destination. The pilot's seat held enough space for three, Cinder sitting relaxed in the co-pilots seat with a rather nervous looking lackey in the chair beside her. The young man in the White Fang uniform looked uneasy to say the least, at least more so than the dozen other members stuffed in the storage area behind them.

"You knew the risks when you signed up, there is no turning back now."

"But last time we almost got hurt, what if-"

Cinder lifted her right hand up, silencing the thief instantly before she replied. Her tone eerily soft as she looked straight ahead into the evening sky, the steel grey clouds filling most of the view from the cockpit windows.

"You will not talk back to me. It was mere chance that insolent hunter found us when he did, I will not let the same mistake happen twice. Which is why I made sure this target had no chance of being protected."

"You think they'll let us go right in and take them?"

"No, we're in for a fight, but…" The criminal paused, holding up her left palm a foot from her eyes, she watched as the bright flame flickered to life before her, the cockpit glowing with the heat and energy it created. "They won't be able to stop us, this time."

Emerald gave a slight grimace as she watched her superior gaze upon the levitating orb of fire, backing slowly out of the room while she was distracted, leaving a rather terrified looking pilot to steer the ship through the windy skies. Shutting the cockpit door softly with a click, turned and walked along the large storage area, where a man in dull silver hair was flicking through a comic book at the far end.

"Well, she seems excited." The young woman murmured, crossing her legs as she sat on a metal bench that spanned the length of the room, squeezing in beside two other White Fang members.

"She still playing with that fire?" He replied, smirking her way and snapping his light reading closed with a single hand.

"Yep, did she even tell us where we're going, Mercury?"

He paused for a moment, running his hand over his chin briefly before turning back to the girl. "I'm going to go with no, though I probably wasn't listening if she did. Smacking his comic over Emeralds' head gently, he lay his head back on the opposite seat, taking up several spots as he lay down.

"Can you go and ask?" She replied, attempting to sound more straightforward and serious, furrowing her brow. This created a rather mocking laugh from the man, who looked at her as if she had come up with some ridiculous and outlandish scheme.

"You seriously think I'm going to risk pissing that madwoman off? Right after she got her freaky super powers?" He scoffed, shaking his head and closing his eyes.

"She won't kill you for asking questions, idiot."

"No, but I don't want to risk getting this gorgeous face of mine singed. You wanna ask, go ahead." He grumbled, sick of Emeralds' whining.

It was true that the pair knew very little of their objective, even what they were doing their job for, all they knew is that they had to follow unconditionally. And the thief had found herself out of the frying pan and into the fire, being picked up by Cinder kept her out of a life of petty thievery, but she felt that more trouble was on the horizon. And much more recent events only solidified this, the trio practically had attempted murder, after all. How could she live that down? Shaking her thoughts away, she looked out the small side window, watching the flickering lights of the towns on the landscape die away as they began to soar over the vast ocean.

"We're going to the Harlequin Isles." Cinder said, shutting the cockpit door behind her as she addressed the others inside, more so the duo on the right hand side of the craft than the other men and women all clad in the same outfit.

"Been there, done it." Mercury droned, his face now hidden underneath the open book as it lay over him.

"Well you're doing it again, now shape up. We need to talk." She asked, a slight frown on her face as her eyes burned amber in the night, the flame still flickering before her.

"So, finally gonna tell us what we're doing?"

Cinder chuckled just a little, before her stern appearance took over once again once the pair came closer. "The same thing I've hired you both to do from the start." She stated, looking to the fire in her hand before her gaze switched back to those in front of her. "Find, steal, and kill."

Emerald felt an uneasy, sinking feeling in her heart. But she was far too involved to back out now, and if she tried, she would probably end up like their latest victim. If that rogue hadn't escaped with her at the last moment, she assumed her life would be in an even worse condition, if any.

Cinder took a breath and finally returned her hand to her side. "Now, when we get down there. The plan will be the same as the last." She furrowed her brow and looked to the men and women around her, the White Fang throwaways she had been given were doubted to come back should anything go wrong on this mission. Their target was just as, if not more powerful than the last, and if word had spread about their last effort, then they might already be prepared, or gone.

"But, why the Harlequin Isles? It's just a dull tourist place, right?" Emerald questioned, eyeing the view from the window that was now blocked by the increasingly dark clouds, and she stumbled just a little as the craft flew into minor turbulence.

"Yes yes, free of Grimm, violence, its police are the only fighting force it has. The perfect place to hide from the troubles of the world. Don't you think so?"

"Right? But, wouldn't they be out you know…Saving the world?" Mercury chortled, giving a cheeky, if slightly confused smirk to his superior.

"Oh, I'm sure this one has a fine reason to stay away from all the troubles that reality gives us." Cinder grinned, before she slowly turned and went back into the cockpit, gently sliding the door behind her and locking it. The other two were left staring quizzically at each other, the soft rumble of the crafts' hull around them as they slowly moved back to their previous seats.

"What do you think that's all about?" Emerald asked, giving a slight grimace as she stared at the close doorway. However Mercury shrugged it off, going back to his solitude under the illustrated novel.

The green haired young woman stepped up, her face peeking through the horizontal window as she tried to force her sight to see through the masses of cloudy sky that surrounded them, to no avail. A few specks of rain pattered the hull, causing her to jump just slightly. Shivering in her rather bare bones outfit, the tiny hairs on her arms stood on end as the very faint, distant sound of thunder could be heard.

* * *

"It's just a fairy tale."

"Oh, child there are so many things in this world you can't comprehend."

"Story! Just…A story that was read to us before we fell asleep at night!"

Ash chuckled in her seat as Cyprus held his head in his hands, his eyes fixated on the ground as he listened to the news he was given.

"Of course it's hard to believe, but it sounds far too dull for any bedtime story, doesn't it?"

"What do you mean?" He asked, a stern yet worried look given to the aged woman in front of him. The tale of the Four Maidens was a book almost every child had growing up, but despite his already well versed knowledge, he lay his head back in dread of the repeat of the story he had heard a hundred times. Be it baby sitters, parents, elementary school teachers, everybody would have learnt about one of the oldest works of fiction in recorded history.

"I'll make you some tea." She replied, seemingly aloof to the young man's concerns as she sat up to move to the kitchen

"I hate it when you leave me in suspense, just don't forget about me in your old age!"

"I'm not that old, fool of a boy." She replied, hiding a giggle as she fixed her casually unkempt hair, frowning as a white strand fell into view in front of her eyes. After pouring the water into the kettle she left it to boil, turning and heading back to her seat she took her time sitting down, testing Cyprus's patience.

"So, now, the tale of the Four Maid-"

"I know, what does that have to do with anything?"

Ash chuckled and sent an innocent gaze towards him, her cheeky attitude causing him to roll his eyes, already growing sick of the anticipation. "Everything. Now, I'm going to tell you the story, because I like making you wait." A long, drawn out groan left his lips as he sank down into the couch, the soft hiss of the kettle growing slowly louder.

"If it makes you feel better you can sit on my lap?"

"Funny."

"Now be silent..." She held up her arm as she grabbed an old book from the side table next to her, brushing of a thin layer of dust from the cover, she opened it with a gentle flick of her wrist.

 _ **Deep in the forests of Remnant, beside a great and mighty river, stood the small, fragile home of a cold, frail man- a lone wizard.**_

 _ **Hidden from the dangers and distractions of the world, the wizard seldom had visitors. But on this day, as he peered out his window, his gaze fell upon a young maiden.**_

 _ **Calmly, she sat beneath his tree in a state of absolute tranquility. When the wizard demanded an explanation, the maiden simply replied, "My name is Winter. I am on a journey, and I am waiting for my sisters."**_

 _ **With that, she closed her eyes and sat in silence.**_

 _ **The wizard told himself the girl was a fool, but the longer she sat, the more he wished to share in the serenity the young maiden enjoyed. In time, he grew tired and decided to close his eyes as well, thinking on this strange predicament.**_

 _ **Upon opening his eyes, the wizard was befuddled to find that a second maiden appeared beneath his tree, cheerful and spry, with a basket of fruit and flowers.**_

 _ **When he asked for an explanation, the girl simply replied,**_

 _ **"My name is Spring. I am on a journey, and I am waiting for my sisters."**_

 _ **To show her gratitude for his reluctant hospitality, the girl retrieved a handful of seeds from her basket and planted them in the wizard's garden.**_

 _ **The old hermit could hardly believe his eyes as the maiden turned what was once a mere pile of dirt and manure into a beautiful garden, from which life would surely blossom.**_

 _ **It's likely he would have gazed for hours, were it not for the unfamiliar laughter he heard from beneath his tree.**_

 _ **A young woman with a warm smile now stood beside the two maidens.**_

 _ **The wizard begged her to introduce herself, to which she happily responded,**_

 _ **"My name is Summer. I am on a journey, and I am waiting for my sister."**_

 _ **"Of course," thought the wizard. But another chirp of laughter left the old man perplexed.**_

 _ **What in the world was so funny?**_

 _ **As it turned out, it was him. 'The new arrival found the wizard's insistence on staying indoors so very amusing.**_

 _ **Why choose to view the world through a small window when the door leading out to it was right at his side?**_

 _ **It was a compelling argument. And after only a moment of brief hesitation, the wizard left his home -**_

 _ **\- and stepped outside.**_

 _ **The warmth of the sun brought with it a surge of energy and life, and soon the wizard wasn't feeling much like himself anymore.**_

 _ **He was feeling much better.**_

 _ **As the day drew to a close, the maidens and the wizard all settled down and prepared a feast. Winter set the table. Spring supplied the crops, Summer prepped the meal, and the wizard was the happiest he'd been in ages.**_

 _ **But in all the excitement, he nearly failed to notice the delicate woman that now stood beneath his tree.**_

 _ **He smiled, and beckoned her to join them, asking only for her name.**_

 _ **"My name is Fall," she replied softly. "I am on a journey, and am here to meet my sisters. Who are you?"**_

 _ **"Me?" The wizard wondered. "Well, I am but an old hermit - I have lived in these woods alone for centuries and I'm afraid my story is not very interesting, as I have no one to love and nothing to my name."**_

 _ **The elder sister looked up at all that surrounded them.**_

 _ **"But sir, do you not see? You have so much."**_

 _ **It was true. With their help, it was now clear to see that the wizard had everything he could ever need. He was grateful, but a question lingered in his mind.**_

 _ **"Why me?" He asked. "Why did the four of you choose to open my eyes? To share with me your gifts? Why am I so special?"**_

 _ **The four sisters looked to one another, perplexed. Finally, the eldest spoke.**_

 _ **"I beg your pardon sir, but we did not do these things for you because you were special. We do what we can for everyone, because we are able."**_

 _ **The old wizard was at a loss. Never in his years had he come across such kindness. It was in that moment that he knew what should be done.**_

 _ **The wizard summoned his magic, every ounce he could muster, and bestowed it upon the sisters.**_

 _ **He smiled. "Take this gift, and know now that you are able to do so much more."**_

 _ **Now armed with the elements, the very powers of nature, and the unimaginable magic of the wizard, the four maidens, Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall, promised to carry on with their journey, using their gifts to aid others, just as they aided him.**_

 _ **One by one, the sisters left. Before they did, they made one final promise.**_

 _ **They promised to return each and every year, to visit their dear friend.**_

Ash gave a sigh as she closed the book, setting back onto its previous space on the table. Her guest sat with a concerned look as he tapped the arm of the chair impatiently, the soft patter of rain could be heard on the roof of the house as it slowly increased, the night sky leaving the streets in darkness and the lack of streetlights on the ground giving off an eerie feeling.

"So, the maidens are based off something real?" He asked, rolling his eyes and watching as the woman stood up and made her way into the kitchen, the kettle now squealing in the other room. This brought a light chuckle from Ash, who shook her head. Bringing the fresh cups into the room she handed one to Cyprus, who was still waiting for an answer.

"Oh my sweet little thing, the maidens are real."

"Bullshit."

"You watch that language around me young man."

"Sorry." He gave a nervous chuckle and looked to the hot liquid in his mug briefly, "But since when do true stories get turned into fairy tales?"

Ash sank into her comfortable armchair, snuggling into the fabric with a childlike playfulness. Despite her age, she seemed full of life, not even the increasing amount of wrinkles changed her attitude much, and Cyprus always admired that about her.

"Well, who'd believe an old story about a magic wizard giving people special powers?"

"I suppose that makes sense, but…"He was struggling to find words, he had so many questions, and was scarcely able to believe what he was hearing. Ash was many things, but a liar wasn't one of them, after all she had been more of a mother to him than his own ever was. She heard the concern in his tone, and slowly took a breath, her eyes closed as she stood up once more.

"I think it's about time I showed you something." The older woman said with a warm, calming smile, even though a hint of noticeable worry could be heard as her voice cracked just a little. Ash wandered into the hallway nearby, leaving Cyprus to follow, albeit cautiously as he tiptoed behind her. The pair arrived at a rather rusted metal door inside a closet at the end of the narrow passage, the woman in front quickly releasing the hatch and swinging it open.

"Ash, what are we looking at right now?"

The woman paused and smiled just a little, flicking a switch and stepping down a tight staircase.

"History."

* * *

The main group sat in front of the huge television in the main room, curled up with the moonlight shining through the large glass panels facing the beach. Most sat in front of the fireplace watching Blake fiddle with a deck of cards, showing the group several tricks and illusions that Ruby stared at with an intense concentration, and Coco sat with a mug of her favourite drink much to her delight. Scylla sat beside her with a glass of champagne held gently in her palm, the celebratory beverage fitting for the start of a wonderful experience.

"Well, I'd say tonight was a success!" She chimed, grinning to her companion who smirked in response.

"One bottle of champagne isn't enough to get us having some real fun, honey. Once your boy comes back then it'll be a good night."

"Speaking of which, he's taking his time." The redhead grumbled slightly, taking a sip of her rather fancy drink before stepping off the couch, pulling her scroll out of her pocket. As the others were preoccupied with various activities, Coco followed suit and headed to the hallway. Turning the corner, she noticed Scylla leaning against the wall, pouting slightly as she held the device to her ear, a faint ringing tone could be heard once she moved closer. Giving a curious yet wary smile, she moved a little closer and rested her arm on the other, leaning closer to hear the voice on the other end.

"Ah! Miss Varun! How can I help you?"

"Brandeis? I thought I called Cyprus?"

There was a faint pause on the other end of the line, just long enough to rouse some concern from both the girls.

"Ah! Yes you did, though Master Haze is currently purchasing the drinks for this evening!"

Scylla shook her head, already knowing something was off about the situation, Coco rolled her eyes and gave a light chuckle as she leant closer, their ears separated only by the screen between them.

"Well, can you put him on once he's done please?"

Another pause.

"Yes, I would like to miss, but he gave me distinct orders to tell you, and I quote. 'Do not talk to me while I am buying my happy juice.'" This incited a howling bit of laughter from Coco, who had to turn away and cover her mouth to prevent being found out as an eavesdropper. Scylla smiled and gave a soft laugh, her worries put to rest as it sounded like something he would say.

"Fine, but hurry up."

"Will do our best, I had to park a fair distance away so forgive us If the trip is a little longer than we first thought." And with that, the other line went dead, and Scylla shrugged as she put the Scroll back into her pocket. Coco was already beckoning her back into the lounge area, a sneaky smile on her face as she grew bored of the wait, grabbing the girls' wrist and pulling her along. Taking a seat back on the couch, Scylla gave a small, relieved sigh once she noticed the rest of the group gave little if any notice of her brief absence. The last thing she needed were rumours about her snogging a certain caffeine addict behind their backs, though from her friends' perspective, it seems that kind of publicity would be a dream come true.

"So, where's the booze?" Yang asked, turning away from Ruby as she fumbled with the deck of cards in her hand and sitting at Scylla's feet, almost like a pre-schooler looking up to a teacher, in her hand a near empty glass of the same Champagne.

"They've just got them, they'll be a little while getting it all back to the car though, we've just gotta wait it out." The hacker shrugged, ignoring the disgruntled huff that was heard below her as she indulged in her own drink. Yang had been wanting to get practically drunk out of her mind since they arrived, and was probably the thing she was most looking forward to. However it seemed she would be left waiting a little while longer, with only the glass in her hand to satiate her lust for drunken antics.

The tide rolled away from the beach, leaving the slowly drying sands still and untouched as the beach lay near abandoned. The soft music from the house the only noise for hundreds of meters, the group continued to enjoy the still relatively young night, the rain just a tad more noticeable as the clouds rolled further, covering the island and sending a flurry of droplets onto the tropical resort. The only thing distracting Scylla from enjoying her night was the occasional brush against her body from the brunette, her forwardness seeming to be much more than simply being playful.


	22. Chapter 22: Summer

"You know, I love it when most girls get dramatic, but with you…"

"Oh quiet, I know you liked to stare at me more all those years ago."

The pair bickered as they descended into the dim stairwell, Ash closing the doors behind them with a dull clang, dust covered lamps casting a faded light into the area. The wooden steps creaked with each step, the surprisingly cool air around them send a shiver down the vigilantes spine as he followed the older woman. His breath became visible as he moved further down, surprisingly they were barely any lower than the ground floor of the house but it soon became apparent that there was something creating the cold, as the faint whirr of machinery could be heard below.

"Damn, it's freezing down here. You running an ice cream business on the side?" He asked, rubbing his hands together.

"Alright, you've had your jokes, now quiet." The other replied, a sudden change in the tone of her voice made her sound much more focused and stern, she didn't even bother to turn back and look at him. Her eyes still burning that brilliant orange, they met Cyprus's only when the sudden buzzing of his scroll emanated from his pocket. Fumbling a little, he hurriedly freed it from his pocket and answered.

"Brandeis? What is it?"

Ash waited patiently with her hand still held gently on the railing of the stairs, tempted to look at her wrist in a joke gesture for Cyprus to hurry up.

"Well what did you say?...Yeah?...Alright, I'll be ready as soon as I can, wait ten minutes and if I'm not out then head back yourself…Well make something up!" With an aggravated tap on the screen, he hung up on the caller.

"Are we in a hurry?"

"Yeah, well…Not really, but…"

Ash held a hand in the air, stopping him and giving an understanding smile. "It's alright, we can be quick, and I'd rather show you and get all this over and done with."

Cyprus chuckled, "Well, I'm still going to need to find out what 'this' even is."

Silence fell as they descended further down, finally reaching the base of the steps the pair found their way into a rather large chamber, cooling equipment lay powered up beside a strange pod like structure. The cylindrical glass tube easily able to accommodate a person, and the eerie nature of it all made the student uneasy and stop in his tracks.

"Ash, what is all this?" He stammered, his brow furrowing as he observed the masses of equipment, wiring and tubes that littered the walls and floor.

"You know, since I met you, you always seemed to be the kind of person to help."

"What does that have to do with this?" He asked, but Ash didn't answer.

"But I know you're not the person to use what I'm about to give you."

Worry struck Cyprus and he began to back up the stairs, the woman noticing this, turned to face him, her hands held passively behind her back.

"Cyprus please, I need you to listen to every word I say, and then I'll answer whatever questions you have."

He held his head in his hands, this was so messed up, and he wondered what in the gods' name this woman had planned for him. He rested his back against the wall and locked his feet into the ground, knees bent slightly as if ready to run. But Ash didn't move, instead she took multiple deep breaths, like a nervous child preparing to speak in front of a crowd, and after a brief pause she began to explain much to Cyprus's delight.

"Four Maidens, four sources of great power." She stated, turning towards the pile of machinery, in its centre, a small rectangular container, only about a half a meter wide. Electronic locks flashed an array of colours at the front, the type of locks that only business executives or mob boss would care to buy. "Every generation, the powers get passed down to those worthy." She said, flatly, pressing a series of keys on the container, watching as cylindrical objects on the corners hissed and shifted. "Usually, there's a lot of time and resources spent training or finding the perfect individuals to take on the mantles, but…" She paused, turning to check if the vigilante was still listening. Confirming his invested, quiet position at the base of the staircase, she turned and reached inside the metal box as it opened.

"What is that?" he asked, his brow furrowing as the woman turned. What lay in her hand made the amount of equipment around them damn near unnecessary, but he assumed that it was more to make whatever she held rather than store it.

"Desperate times called for desperate measures, Cyprus."

She turned her hand so he could see, it was small, much smaller than he thought it would have been. Between her fingers lay a vial, no larger than her index finger, crystalline glass sparkling with a fiery crimson liquid inside. Unsure of how to react, the young man took a step back, wary of what the minute object was.

"Usually, the powers we hold are passed down through rituals, but once I heard of what happened to one of us, I…" Ash didn't continue, her pace broken by the quizzical expression on her guests face. "I'm one of them Cyprus. Spring, Fall, Winter, and…" She paused once more to gaze at the artefact, a dull glow shimmering from the vial.

"Summer."

Ash hastily took a hold of the young mans' hand, opening his palm and forcing the glass onto it, closing his fingers tightly before letting go. Cyprus was dumbstruck, his heart raced and beads of sweat formed on his brow despite the cold air around him. His entire world had been turned upside down thanks to a simple hunch of nostalgia, leading him to an old friend throwing him into a whole new experience. Frost cracked on the objects and walls of the room, causing the young man to shover as he gripped the crystal container tightly, a small string hung out of his fist from the closed lid.

"So what do you want me to do?" He asked, his eyes fixed on his hand.

Ash paused, grimacing slightly as she thought of the right words to say, the cold finally being felt on her own skin.

"Just keep it safe, promise me that?"

"Oh sure, it'll be much safer with me than in a secret basement in the middle of nowhere." He jested, though his dry attempt at humour only resulted in a frown from his associate.

"I can't keep it here, not anymore."

"Should I use it? Or…Give it to somebody? What about Ozpin?"

Ash chuckled softly and shook her head, already giving the young man a nudge to head back up the narrow stairwell.

"That old coot probably knows more than I do at this point, just keep it close for now. You'll know what to do when the time comes."

So caught up in the banter back and forth between the pair, the vigilante failed to notice the final step and stumbled into the room, righting himself before making an embarrassment. Ash hadn't taken any notice, already shutting the metal doors behind her and locking it with a few short clicks. The heat of the tropical lands around them quickly rushed over their bodies, drowning them in a humid heat.

"I hope to the gods you're wrong about seeing her." She said, her voice quiet as they stepped across the wooden floor of the house, hands held tightly together.

"What happens if I am, should I bring this back?"

Ash opened the door and gently nudged her friend out, her figure filling the empty frame making sure Cyprus knew not to try and return.

"No, my time has come and gone. Go and see Ozpin if you want to know more, but promise me you won't come back here."

Cyprus frowned. "So what, that's it?" He began, standing on the front porch of the innocent looking home, "'Here's a super-secret ancient power, go have fun!'" He jested waving his arms in the air, the object in his hand still kept in a firm grip.

"I need you to keep it safe, because if it's true, then I know what's coming. And she would take it and use it for her own game. She's lost, Cyprus, she was lost from the moment she disappeared."

He flinched, like a child being proven wrong in a petty argument he stepped back, and taking a breath he would have retorted were it not for the car pulling up at the street behind them. The man inside appearing as the window slowly sunk down, his moustached, elderly face unmistakable to the student. The air around him suddenly felt just that little bit colder as he stepped back from the house, Ash waving a thread of her greying hair from her eyes she nodded and began to shut the door. Fairly obvious sign it was that they should never cross paths again, even with the unlikelihood of it happening anyway.

"Well, he's quite on time."

Cyprus shrugged. "Coincidence, so…" He paused, half stopping as he reached the footpath. "What'll you do?"

Ash looked like a mother watching her child leave home, her head gently resting on the frame of the door. She paused for a moment, giving a nod to the man in the limousine. "Oh, I'll survive, one way or another." She gave a reassuring grin as the door began to close, the small creak echoing through the street as it moved. It was strange that nobody was around, though it was possible that the night was so young, and most locals were out enjoying themselves still. Taking one last look at the home, the young man opened the sleek door with a click and stepped into the car, the soft hum of the engine passing through his ears. As the car moved slowly off from the gravel and onto the tarmac with a crunching slide, he never took his eyes off that house for a moment, ignoring the vial held in his grip. It wasn't until the vehicle rounded a corner that another voice took him out of his trance.

"Is everything alright, sir?"

"Hm?"

"I said, is everyth-"

"Yeah, I heard you. It's fine."

The pair both paused for a moment, the older mans' eyes still fixed on the road and resisting the urge to glance in the rear view mirror above his head. The car drove off into the night and Cyprus shook his mind off the rather rushed events. Back to the home where there was no doubt the rest of the guests were more than ready for a good night of festivities, admittedly, he himself was in much need of a stiff drink.

"So, what did you get?" He asked, using the first thing he thought of to change the subject, his body twisting in the hopes to rummage through the many bags and boxes behind him.

Brandeis smiled, tempted to twirl his moustache in a most comical way. "Oh, a few crates of assorted beers, ciders and wines. Plenty of spirits, and of course things to mix it with. Oh! And Miss Varun asked me to pick up some sorbet."

The vigilante cocked his head, unhooking the seatbelt to dig his free hand in the assortment of boxes. Sure enough, he eventually brushed against something freezing cold, causing him to pull his hand away.

"What kind of sorbet comes in a packet like this?" He wondered aloud, turning back to see his driver smirking.

"Hmm….Lemon sorbet, mixed with 3 standard drinks of vodka, and layered with just the tiniest hint of pure freeze Dust."

"They put Dust in alcohol now?" Cyprus scoffed.

"It's guaranteed to knock you off your feet, I think the lady wanted it for a game." He chuckled, his gaze briefly checking the other mirrors before he turned back down the road he had come, heading back swiftly to their residence.

* * *

"He's here! He's here he's here he's here!" Yang squealed, rushing out the door like a rabid fan meeting a celebrity. The car had barely come to a stop by the time she had bumped into the side and swung open the side door, her long, bare legs the first thing that came into Cyprus's view as he turned to face her. A small, translucent waistcloth covering the lower portion of her bikini, the man inside admitted to himself it was far from the worst sight to be greeted by. However it was short lived as her head sank down into view, the brawler half climbing into the limousine to look for her much desired drinks. "W-where are they?"

"In the back, we'll get them. Mind getting us some glasses ready?" He chuckled, reeling back slightly at his companion's excitement, Yang simply smirked and began to leave the confines of the passenger area.

"Already done. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some alcohol to claim!"

Brandeis, Yang and Cyprus watched as the boot of the car opened with a click, each took a rather hefty box in their hands and walked back to the front door, the blonde's pace a fair bit quicker than the others as to say she was eager for a drink, was an understatement.

"Are you even old enough to drink?" Cyprus called out, attempting some kind of conversation to help take his mind off the past events.

"I turned eighteen a couple of months ago! Plus I've tried my fair share back at my Uncles' place!" She called out, winking as she attempted to open the door with one hand. However her smile faltered as the doorway swung open, leaving the girl to almost fall onto her sister, who had turned the knob from the other side. With a grunt she swung her box around and kept her balance, peering from the right side to see her much shorter sister. "Beer's here!"

"Did you get any…Not beer?" She asked, pouting a little. I wasn't until the other two entered that Ruby got her answer.

"Of course my dear, plenty of them!"

"Yeah, we got Vodka, Whiskey…" The vigilante grinned, looking into his open box, unfortunately a quick hip bump from a glaring Yang brought his sense of humour to an end. Rolling his eyes, he continued. "And soda. Lots of soda."

A short while passed and the music was pulsing through the house, the sound system sending the rhythmic beats throughout the house as the drinks lay set neatly on the large countertop in the kitchen area. The rather small crowd gathered around, all pouring rather hefty portions of their own concoctions. Vibrant colours mixed with the dullness of the spirits, and only a couple found themselves with simpler, non-alcoholic beverages.

"Weiss, you're not having any?"

"Oh please, we're not even of age! I'm not going to break the law because I'm on holiday." She huffed, crossing her arms as she stood beside her teams' leader. And she grunted the moment a hand clasped her shoulder, firm and coarse.

"Technically you're on private property in the presence of an unofficial guardian….So I think it's legal." Cyprus chuckled, taking a swig of his drink and patting the heiress once more, ruffling her hair.

"And what would you know about the law, hm?" She sneered, folding her arms and cocking her head once she turned to face him. Cyrprus gave a jesting growl in response, and would have spoken up further were it not for the tapping on his shoulder.

"You."

"Me?"

"Come with me."

The young man barely managed to notice Scylla before she was dragging him outside, a pair of duelling sticks held in one hand, and in the other the scruff of his shirt.

"I swear I didn't do it!" He laughed, wondering what he could possibly be in trouble for this time.

Passing out the front door onto the empty beach, the naturally clear air filling their lungs, wrestling away the thick, booze filled atmosphere of the indoors. The booming music could just faintly be heard as they each took one of the practice weapons and faced one another. Cyprus groaned the moment his brain put the pieces together, and bending down, dug his cup into the sand beneath his feet. As soon as it was twisted into the ground, held in place, he took a few paces to the side and readied into a fighting stance.

"Come on, I told you we wouldn't stop practicing just because we're on holiday."

"That's what holiday m-!" He tried to retort, but the speed at which Scylla rushed him caught her opponent off guard. And with a sweep at his legs, Cyprus was already on the ground. A quick cheer could be heard from the doorway, as Coco sipped on her drink and watched them, sitting herself down on the wooden deck that kept the golden sands at bay.

Scylla withdrew, readying herself for the next round. Although she was well out of his league in terms of fighting capabilities, she knew he wouldn't get better unless he was constantly up against a proper challenge, and going easy on him could leave her own skills to falter. So once he was up she went at it again, this time her first few strikes were blocked, but her gaze spotted her foe's lazy stance. And with a swift shoulder charge, she knocked him off his feet once again, inciting a cheer from her fan nearby.

"Oh come on!"

"Watch your footing. Knees bent, how are you not getting this?" She shouted, stepping back and showing off her example. Her body was bent forward as she crouched slightly, her feet twisted a little and dug into the ground to help keep her in place, she knew that Cyprus wasn't exactly prepared or up for another round of training, but his aloof attitude wouldn't get him anywhere.

* * *

The next few rounds left Cyprus exhausted, thankfully he had decided to stop acting like a comedian and get his daily training over with, and his improvement showed. Scylla had bested him every single time, though at least he was lasting far longer than he would have a few weeks ago, even going so far as to have his partner work up a sweat. He had noticed the music had increased in volume, likely Yangs' doing, and it gave him all the more drive to head back inside with the other guests.

Their weapons clashed with a dull smack, again and again like a beat constantly getting faster, hissing through the air as they twirled and spun around their bodies. Thankfully their preferred choice in equipment meant using sticks could be almost as effective as the real thing, albeit much safer.

"You're getting better!"

Cyprus grinned to himself, focusing as much as he could on this round as he ducked to narrowly avoid a blow to the side of the head, countering with a thrust upward, the pole aimed straight for Scylla's stomach. Though again, this was blocked as her arms spun to knock it away, and finally, she let her body fall close to the ground, sweeping her leg to clip her opponent and send him onto his side.

"Oh yeah, I'll be taking on crime bosses and giant monsters galore!" He grunted, rolling onto his stomach and pushing himself upward, stumbling a little on the grainy substance beneath him.

"Come on, you're holding your own pretty well right now. Now go get yourself something to drink."

This brought a beaming grin to the vigilante's face, however it quickly dissipated once he noticed his drink was now helping the beach get drunk instead of him, the cup tipped sideways and its contents leaked out long ago. His back hunched, he took the remains and carried it back inside, and a quick slap from the ever present Coco on his rear quickly fixing his mood.

"He seems to be doing a lot better." She smirked, arms folded as she joined the other young woman on the sands, watching beneath her glasses as she stripped down to her bikini. "Going for a late night swim?"

"Part of him getting stronger means I have to work harder, and nobody wants to see me covered in sweat." Scylla giggled, already dipping her toes into the waves, sighing with relief as the cool water was tolerable enough to dive into.

"Some sweat never hurt anyone. So, what's your story with the little guy?" Coco chuckled, joining her as she waded deeper into the ocean.

"Friends for years, basically helped me get back on my feet after I had nowhere to go. Short story we pretty much became inseparable after that." She replied, splashing some of the clear water onto her face, an overwhelmingly refreshing feeling rushing through her body as she did so.

"You really do sound like a couple you know?"

"Well I suppose he thought he would get a cute love story out of the whole ordeal, thankfully he's the type to take rejection well."

"That why he flirts with every girl he meets?" Coco almost scoffed, eyeing the front door to double check there wasn't anyone trying to sneak a peek.

"He just likes to enjoy life, there's not really been many days when he's been upset. As he puts it…" The redhead straightened her back, wagging her index finger and deepening her voice in a horrific impersonation of her associate. " _Every time a girl slaps me, means one less before I can find the one that doesn't!"_

"So he's a pig?"

"Yeah pretty much."

The two shared a burst of laughter, Coco finally deciding to remove her shades in the process, hanging them on her shirt before retreating her arms behind her back, hands held together.

"So how's Beacon been for you?"

"A little tiring, but it's nothing I can't handle." A nervous chuckle escaped her lips after a moment of thought. "Cyprus on the other hand, well…"

"You think he's not cut out for it?"

"I think he just expected it to be easier, I'm sure he'll come round."

Coco sighed, her head held upwards and her fingers pulling the tie from her hair, letting the locks fall down to her shoulders. An unusual look for her that was only seen once in a blue moon, the girls' deep hazel eyes now just barely visible in the darkness. "He better, second year is hell so far. And you should both be in your third year now anyway."

"What do you mean?"

Coco grumbled, folding her arms she kicked a splash upwards as a wave rocked against her legs.

"Expeditions into Grimm territory, assignments that feel meaningless, you get the idea." She looked up and sighed, before chuckling to herself and springing back to her relaxed, carefree demeanour. "But hey, that's what this is for right? A couple nights of drinking, swimming and damn good eye candy."

Scylla laughed and turned to head back inside, just as a thought pinged into her head.

" _Eye candy?"_

And that's when she felt a soft hand gripping her arm.

* * *

Cyprus lay back on the couch, a small cup half empty in his hand. The atmosphere in the room warm as the group energetically mingled in the living area, the caretakers long gone for the night, he dragged a palm across his face once he remembered clean-up duty was his own in the morning.

" _What am I even still paying them for if they won't clean up?"_ He thought, taking a sip of the drink that he was thankfully used to after the initial burn. However he was brought quickly out of his trance by the sound of shifting fabric next to him.

"So, what're ya drinking?"

Yang Xiao Long, the blonde bombshell and fangirl that he was so eagerly introduced to earlier in the year took a seat beside him. Her movements were already a little sluggish as she was the first to dive into the beverages for the evening. The scent of mixed alcohol noticeable as she spoke to her new friend, arms draped over the back of the furniture.

"Whiskey and lemonade, nothing too crazy yet."

Yang hummed to herself, as if disappointed in the fact the vigilante wasn't trying to outdrink anybody. Truth be told she half expected him to be on the floor at this point anyway, though the night was still young, and there was plenty of time to laugh at that later. Cyprus thought to keep the conversation going as long as possible, seeing as the company could be worse. "What about you?"

The brawler pondered for a moment before replying. "Vodka, Gin and…Rum?"

"Wait…Straight like that?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Your Uncle must be insane if he has you drinking that."

Yang giggled and pouted a little. "Oh he's not…Okay yeah a little. But I promise this is just to get me on the party train!"

"Alright, but don't blame me when you're passed out on the floor."

Like moths to a flame, the holiday goers continuously went back for more drinks throughout the night, the stock thankfully full to bursting in the kitchen left many boxes, bottles and cans completely unopened even later into the evening. A few dancing sessions, drinking games and downed shots later, and the party had for the most part died down. Most of the group resting on the couches or having light conversation, with Fox being down and out for the count quite early into the night. Cyprus was surprised at how well his entertainment for the evening could hold her liquor, the young huntress in training looking more or less fine despite how much she had taken into her system.

"…Come on, I doubt you didn't get hit!"

"I swear it's true, you can ask Scylla!"

"I've seen you fight! And…" Yang paused, her mouth slightly agape as she looked to one of the windows leading outside. "Speaking of which, where is she?"

"Coco's been missing for a while, too."

The pair looked at each other mischievously, rushing to the window and stumbling a little as they rose from their seats.

"If they're making out you owe me ten bucks." She chuckled, reaching the wall of the house first and peering outside.

"Hell I'll give them ten bucks if they are, I could do with a show." The vigilante muttered under his breath. However upon opening the window their jaws hit the ground, they stood in an increasingly awkward silence as the music pumped in the background. Two figures lay on the shoreline, obviously in a position that left them wanting to be undisturbed, but sheer curiosity left the two by the window unable to look away.

"They're…"

"Yep."

"Should we go back?"

"Can I take a picture first?"

That was all it took for Yang to twist Cyprus's ear and drag him away from the window, much to his discomfort.

"Ow, okay! Point made!" He groaned as he wrestled from her grip, pouting like a spoiled child. However both of their expressions quickly changed to excitement and giddiness as they giggled between themselves in the afterthought.

"Oh my god that is so cute!" Yang squeaked, her hands covering her mouth as she headed back to the couch. The vigilante rolled his eyes and scratched the side of his unkempt teal locks, picking up his drink from the table and sipping quietly, mumbling under his breath.

"Not the word I would use."

Yang felt extremely tempted to give a playful punch to his arm, but she doubted his frail, skinny figure could handle it.

A few minutes passed before her night took a turn however, as her sister had been missing for quite a while and the blonde began to wonder where she had wandered off to. At least she would have if the younger sister hadn't stumbled into the lounge room and fell onto the couch, groaning and grumbling.

"Yaaaang…My head hurts."

Cyprus watched as she rose from her seat and quickly lifted her sister upright onto the sofa, her head resting on her right shoulder. Slight bags formed around her glassy eyes, her body slightly warmer than usual once Yang rested the back of her hand onto her forehead.

"What happened Rosie?" Cyprus piped, brow raised as he chuckled and leant a little closer.

"Well….I found some ice cream in the freezer, but I only had a little!"

"Ice cream? We don't have any..." And then he remembered. "Oh. Yang?"

"Yeah?"

"You might want to get a bucket."


End file.
